


For King and Country

by dragonbornette



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe, Blowjobs, Car Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Ignis is James Bond, M/M, OT4, Other tags to be added, Phone Sex, Public-ish Sex, handjobs, no betas we die like men, secret agent AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:02:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23453707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonbornette/pseuds/dragonbornette
Summary: That had been close… too close.“—Specs?!” the voice is shouting and he has to wonder how long they’ve been calling for him. “Specs, report! Check in, now!”The normally monotone voice now sounds harried and scared and it’s all he can do not to smile. “Scientia,” he says as calmly as he can manage. “Ignis Scientia. Where would you like this plane delivered?"---**This story is a work in progress, so it will probably be slow on the updates as I work out any plot kinks <3**
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 122
Kudos: 94





	1. Prologue

Cold winds blow across the still landscape of the Niflheim outlands, catching the fresh, loose snow and whipping it up into the air. It is quiet, cold, empty before a dark figure breaks the stillness, detaching from one shadow as one to dart to the next as if he had never been there. Of course, nothing can be done about the footprints he leaves behind, but it’s a risk that must be taken. He has plenty of distance to travel and not a lot of time.

Moonlight reflects off the snow, making it as bright as day. They had hoped for a cloudy night, planned it so, but the weather had chosen not to cooperate. The mission, however, had been carried on as planned.

_“—not much farther now, about another mile._ ”

He doesn’t respond to the voice in his ear, but it’s only for protocol. As much radio silence as possible, lest someone be listening in, but even _he_ needed guidance – he isn’t omniscient. Besides, there is no guarantee that something else wouldn’t go wrong – reports about scouts could be wrong, enemy movements and placements could change in a heartbeat, someone could discover their mission.

Plan for everything.

So far, so good, however. He’d crossed the snowy outlands without any interference or sign of trouble, but he had to wonder why there’s such little security. Sure, they don’t need a guard or outpost every other mile, but why aren’t there _any_ preventative measures out here to discourage the very thing he’s attempting tonight?

They might never know the answer, but it reminds him that this is their only chance to get it done right. One fuck up and those missing security measures would definitely be in place next time.

His lungs are burning by the time he reaches the ridge that overlooks the warehouse below. In a crevice within the Niflheim outlands, miles from Zegnautus Keep, is a hidden facility warehouse built into one of the mountain walls. It had been inadvertently discovered on a previous reconnaissance mission, and immediately determined to be investigated, but it hadn’t taken much to learn it had some sort of nefarious purpose.

Which is his mission tonight to determine. Infiltrate, place bugs and trackers as needed, and get out. On the far side of the facility is an access runway – its isolated location makes pretty much any other mode of transportation impossible – plane and airship are the only ways in and out. Once he’s completed his mission, he has to steal a plane.

Not the hardest thing he’s ever had to do.

“— _the jump point is about fifty meters to your right._ ”

Hunching down before he's possibly seen, he darts off to the right in search of his new destination. The snow crunches despite running on the balls of his feet in soft shoes made for snow, but the gusting wind swallows up the noise he makes so close to the facility. He’s certain he’d know if he’d been spotted.

He spots the small bundle waiting for him in the brilliant light of the moon, uncovering to find bungee ropes and hooks ready for him to strap on and use. He tests the anchor to make sure its fixed in place before strapping on a vest and snapping the hooks into place. Briefly glancing over the edge of the ridge to make sure his landing is safe and he isn’t about to jump to his death, he grimaces when he realizes he can’t even see where he’s jumping. He steps back, checks that everything on him is secure, and leaps off the edge of the cliff into the darkness below.

The cold bites at his face as he plummets down into the night, his stomach has already passed him and splattered on the snow below, but he’ll keep that information to himself. Finally, after an eternity of following, he spots the ground below and reaches for the gun in one holster. He has to time this right, has to make sure he shoots the right spot, and just as he feels the line begin to go taut, he shoots the piton into the rock below and grips the gun as tightly as he can.

Bingo.

With the bungee line tight behind him and the piton firmly hooked into the rocks below, he flips a switch on the gun and lets it pull him to the ground. He lets go carefully, unstraps himself from the bungee vest, and ungracefully falls onto the snow-covered rock.

Not one of his finer moments.

“ _—Straight ahead, there’s an access panel on the roof—”_ the voice instructs. “ _You’ll be in the vents_.”

Holstering the piton gun, he checks his surroundings for any sign of movement and heads forward, light on his feet as he emerges from the shadows of the ridge and into the bright moonlight illuminating the facility. What on Eos could they be using this for? How had they not known it even existed before now?

As he draws closer, he stops when he notices a camera pointed down at the area he’s about to cross. He whispers the word to the voice in his ear, draws his silenced gun, and with one expert shot, destroys the device. He waits a minute to make sure no alarm had sounded before continuing on, scaling the wall when he reaches it and pulling himself onto the roof. A quick scan reveals no further cameras and he continues on to the aforementioned access panel.

“— _Cameras indicate security. Destroy any additional ones that you find. Any alarms sound, abort._ ”

He grits his teeth at the word, hating to abandon a mission. He’d never had to before, and he never plans to. Sure, his luck would run out someday, but he doesn’t plan on that day being today. Producing a multi-tool provided by the quartermaster, he quickly unscrews the bolts from the panel, checks for sensors or any sort of security measures, and drops inside, pulling the panel back into place.

It’s cold in the vents, and he’s sure to take soft cautious steps as he makes his way through the dimly lit cramped space. It’s awkward and uncomfortable, but he remembers the schematics, he knows where he’s going, and the voice in his ear won’t steer him wrong.

Most of the rooms he passes look to be storage, but the poor lighting gives him little clues on what exactly is being stored. He dismisses the discoveries as unimportant and continues on until he reaches a dead-end, an expected one. He pulls the multi-tool back out, opens the grate in front of him, and drops into the dark storeroom, dusting off his clothes as he looks around.

Abandoned machinery litters the room, some broken, some just old and no longer used. But there are also several large glass containers, broken and empty. Why keep these? What had they…contained? He takes the time to try and find out some answers, but with dead machinery and empty glass, there isn’t much to investigate. He has to keep going.

He goes to the door and opens it cautiously, listening for movement, patrols, anything. At first, he thinks he’s in the clear, but then a door opens nearby and he ducks back into the shadows of the storeroom. He watches, waiting, heart pounding as booted footsteps approach – booted means soldier, and sure enough, a heavily armored soldier walks by, weapon gripped in both hands as he patrols the hall. His face is hidden by some bizarre helmet, but he doesn’t notice he’s being watched as he continues on out of sight.

Shutting the door, he moves to the far side of the room and hastily whispers, “ _hostiles, heavily armed and armored_.”

“— _copy, you are to proceed_.”

He waits, and after about five minutes had passed, the soldier passes by again – a ten-minute window is plenty but doesn’t know what else this facility has in store for him. Once he’s certain the patrol has passed, he leaves the storeroom and explores the hall, finding several locked doors yet no cameras. Interesting. He circles back to the storeroom and tries the next door, opening it to find it’s a small security room with an access panel to the locked doors he’d encountered.

Checking for alarms and cameras, he unlocks the doors and uses what’s left of his five-minute window to hurry down the hall to the door he knows he needs to go through. It’s here he finds the grate in the floor and accesses it to go further into the facility. Several more armed soldiers pass overhead as he traverses the sub-floor pathway, crouched and cold, but as he continues on, fewer soldiers walk by and men and women in lab coats take their place.

“ _Scientists_ ,” he reports quietly to the voice in his ear.

“— _Copy that_.”

As he continues into a lab room, he reaches into his pocket and produces his first bug, placing it near the center where he hears the most conversation taking place. He lingers, trying to listen in on what’s being said, but he has to keep going and let the bug do its job. He makes it further down, rounds a few corners, and comes to a dead-end in a quiet hallway, and once he’s certain he’s in the clear, he emerges from within the tunnel and checks himself to make sure he’s got everything with him still.

He finds himself in front of a secure door and he notes that if _this_ is secured, he can expect a patrol any moment now. Hastily, he digs in his pocket for the scrambler device, activates it and holds it to the keypad before slipping inside once the lock disengages. What he finds on the other side, he can’t possibly put into words.

“… _Shit_.”

“— _Specs, report. What are you seeing_?”

“A lot of bloody tubes,” he answers as he descends the steps, mindful of cameras and occupants in the room. He’s confused by the lack of people and security but stays alert. “…There are… _people_ inside. They all look the same. Clones.”

“— _New orders: destroy the facility_.”

He blinks and touches his ear. “Come again?”

A hiss of static. “— _Destroy the facility. You are carrying sufficient charges_.”

Just as he thinks to question the order, a sudden blaring Klaxon alarm sounds and he immediately moves into action. He digs into the pouch strapped against his back and pulls out the charges, throwing them into the corners and along the middle, concentrating on machinery that would add additional explosions to the mix and cause the most damage. He stops at a computer and hastily looks for a tracker in his bag, pulling one free and plugging it in before tapping the keypad with trembling fingers to access the computer and get something, _anything_ before this place blows. He can hear booted footsteps trampling down the hallway and looks for his escape, something he’d failed to do upon first entering the room.

The tracker connects and starts downloading just as he spots the doors on the far side that should lead him back outside. He hears the soldiers closing in and decides he’s stalled enough, yanking the tracker free, shoving it in his pack and rushing across the lab. Just as he reaches the doors, soldiers burst in before him. Expertly maneuvering out of their heavy fire, he’s surprised they’d shoot their guns in this rather expensive looking lab. He hears bullets slap into glass as he pulls his own gun and fires two shots, one for each soldier in the head. They crumple to the ground and he flies past them through the doors and beyond.

“After him!” a voice shouts, and just as he passes out of sight, he glances over his shoulder and spots a soldier, white-haired and clothed in just as brilliantly white clothes shouting orders. He curses under his breath for not getting a better look, but he knows what to report on when he gets back.

Emerging into a hallway, he spots the metal doors and realizes he’s in a docking area, not a hallway. A small conveyor belt to his right leads directly outside and he jumps on to it, tumbling nimbly down and out into the cold night once more. He gets his bearings, spots the plane and runs for it, lifting his arm to check his watch and pressing two buttons after he’s run a safe distance.

Just as the metal doors of the dock start to open behind him, an explosion rips through the facility and throws him to the ground. He curses at his poor assessment, scrambling to his feet as he hurriedly spares a glance over his shoulder at the burning inferno that was once the facility. At first, he sees no soldiers following him, but then, one by one, they start pouring from within, some are burning, others smoldering, and it hits him with sudden clarity why.

They’re not _human_.

He runs faster towards the plane, pulling his gun when he sees patrolmen outside running for him now that the explosion has made them very much aware something is wrong. He pulls his gun, fires twice once again, direct shots to the head, and continues on to the plane that seems so terribly far away. He can’t stop, can’t risk looking back again, reaches the plane and wrenches the door open as he climbs in.

Pulling the multi-tool back out, he hastily activates the key and slips it in the ignition, a few seconds of the engine turning over before it finally engages and he breathes a sigh of relief. Strapping in, he guides the plane down the short runway, flips the switches to prepare it for flight, and pushes the steering forward. He’s filled with relief as he sails into open air, sagging back into his seat before he’s suddenly covered in heavy gunfire.

Instincts take over as he whips the small plane out of the line of sight of the machinery no one had taken into account at the far end of the runway. This security didn’t make sense! One camera, nothing inside, but heavy machinery on the runway?! He barely clears the fire before the turbulence coming off the mountains jerks the small plane hard. The multi-tool tumbles free and the plane sputters and dies. He hurries to grab the tool but the plane tilts forward and begins to nosedive, and it’s all he can do to reach blindly for the key as it slides away from him.

Grabbing it, he jams it back into the ignition, trying not to look up at the mountainside he’s closing in on fast. The engine refuses to turn over before it _finally_ engages once again and roars to life, but it’s all he can do to accommodate for his rapid descent as he pulls back as hard as he can on the steering to the point where he fears it might break.

“Come on…” he gasps. “ _Come on_.”

It’s close, so close that he sees his life flash before his eyes as the plane finally curves up and avoids the mountain as he pulls back and flies parallel to the snow-covered rock face. He lets out a heavy breath and steers away from the mountain once he can, sagging into his seat and covering his face.

That had been close… too close.

“— _Specs?!_ ” the voice is shouting and he has to wonder how long they’ve been calling for him. “ _Specs, report! Check in, now!_ ”

The normally monotone voice now sounds harried and scared and it’s all he can do not to smile. “Scientia,” he says as calmly as he can manage. “Ignis Scientia. Where would you like this plane delivered?"

~~*cue James Bond opening*~~


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> meet prompto.  
> meet noctis.  
> meet them on the table.

Deep, deep in the underground of the Citadel’s vast belly are rooms filled with computers, people, and gadgets. Vast supercomputers running the network that provides the Citadel with all of its power and information, people to run the computers and sift through the information, and the gadgets to make it all work.

In one room in particular, a lonely blond toils away as he puts together a new watch. He’s particularly proud of this one with its GPS tracking information, remote detonating options, and the overall sleek look he’s given to its design, he can’t wait for Ignis to return and, hopefully, compliment it. He’s tried, oh so hard, to get Ignis to do more than just look at his gadgets and try not to break them, but even Prompto knows how missions go – Ignis can’t control if an explosion takes out his car, or if he falls fifty feet right onto his wrist wearing said watch.

Prompto hadn’t believed that story – the watch hadn’t survived but Ignis’s wrist had? With no proof, though, Prompto had to take the agent at his word, and that charming man wouldn’t _dare_ bend the truth.

So, the quartermaster had taken on the challenge of making a more resilient watch – one that not only would track Ignis’s movements, but provide him with plenty of intel, and connect to other devices Prompto had made for the agent. All of his gadgets were multi-functional – a timepiece wouldn’t be an exception.

As he works, the people on his team slowly leave for the day one by one, until he’s left alone, but he doesn’t really notice or mind. He eventually slips his earbuds in and jams silently to music while he puts the finishing touches on the watch. He sits back and admires his work just as two fingers jam into both sides of him, causing him to leap up from his stool with a shriek of both surprise and terror. He whirls around to find Noctis, of all people, doubled-over laughing as Prompto his earbuds free.

“Fucking _hell_ , Noct!” he gasps, hand on his pounding chest as the prince wipes tears from his eyes.

Noctis Lucis Caelum, Crown Prince to the Lucian throne, had somehow managed to become best friends with Prompto over the years. From his first day all those years ago as a nerdy, super-smart teenager, all the way up to the day he’d become the Quartermaster of the Citadel’s agency known as the Kingsglaive, Prompto had met Noctis on his second day by way of necessity, and they’d instantly clicked. He’d never expected to become best friends with the prince of all people, but there was an unspoken instant attraction of both interests and, well, appearance.

Preparing for his first day on the job, Prompto had read everything he could get his hands on about the royal family, studying them and the government so that nothing would escape him in terms of facts and knowledge; he’d never expected to see Noctis and feel his heart in his throat. Finding out they had a ton of things in common had been the icing on the metaphorical cake.

Although work had kept him busy most of the time, Prompto had ended up spending most of his free time with the prince, and although he hates to think about it, he knows his association and bond with Noctis had helped him rise through the ranks. Though not without his own merit, Prompto had never doubted for a second that he was up for each task given, and he knows he’s smart enough to hold his own.

He also knows people talk, and agents can be dicks.

Except for a couple – Ignis being the first. Prompto had fallen hard for him too, but how could you _not_? Ignis was six feet of sex, charm, and athleticism all tied up in a gorgeous tailored suit. He had the style, grace, and air of an aristocrat, but could blend into even the shittiest of places if the need called for it. He was the Citadel’s top Kingslaive agent, called upon when the kingdom needed him most – code name: Specs. Like Prompto, he too is close with the royal family, but in a different way. The details still escape Prompto; despite his access, the quartermaster can’t access sealed files unless he hacks them, which he can, but he doesn’t want to risk his job _just_ because he’s nosey and his princely best friend won’t tell him either.

Despite being in a not-so-secret relationship with Noctis, Prompto couldn’t help his crush on the agent. It definitely hadn’t helped when Noctis had found out, _or_ when he’d found out that Ignis and Noctis had a…thing. He hadn’t been mad, he’d been jealous, but not because he didn’t want to share Noctis, but because he’d wanted Noctis to share _Ignis_.

“I’m not saying he won’t like you,” Noctis had tried to explain, “it’s just…he and I have a very specific thing going on. I’m like, the only person he’s slept with more than once. He’s very loyal to me. I’m sure he thinks you’re cute, but unless you never want to see him again, don’t…sleep with him.”

And that’s how Prompto had found out Ignis is hardly the monogamous type, and that Noctis is the sole exception to that rule. Ignis would drop everything for Noctis, and proudly served his country if it meant keeping the prince safe, but Prompto still imagined being thrown on one of his tables and plowed by the agent.

The closest thing he ever gets to that voice whispering dirty things in his ear is when he monitors Ignis on his missions. The agent always plays coy and flirts with Prompto, even though the quartermaster is certain Ignis probably doesn’t even remember him from that first day they met. Whenever the agent arrives after a mission whether to return gadgets or the remnants of what had been his gadgets, the man never looks at him twice, never flirts with him in person, and Prompto’s heart always sinks. Either he doesn’t know the voice he talks to on his missions is the same one coming out of Prompto’s mouth, or he doesn’t care.

Lost in his thoughts long enough, Prompto is jerked out of them when the prince impatiently presses close and kisses him, as if to lure the blond out of his head and back to the present. Prompto jumps and pulls back, blushing as he looks around wildly. “ _Noct_ ,” he hisses, “not here!”

“Dude, relax, no one’s here, I checked,” Noctis shrugs off, kissing at Prompto’s lips again. “I haven’t seen you in three days and Ignis has been on that mission. I have _needs_ , you know.”

“That’s what your hand and porn collection are for,” Prompto replies with a look, moving to clean up the table and set the watch in its case for later. “I have to stay here anyway. Ignis is due back in an hour.”

“Then, it sounds to me like we have an hour.”

Before Prompto can turn around and protest, Noctis presses up against him from behind. Although they’re roughly the same height, Noctis carries with him that royal air of authority that always makes him feel a foot taller to Prompto. It’s weird, but Prompto loves it. His fingers curl against the table as he tries to push the prince off him, but he doesn’t try very hard. He likes when Noctis has his way and takes what he wants – consensually, of course.

Prompto feels Noctis dot kisses along his shoulders and down between his shoulder blades, even through the sweater he’s wearing and relaxes a bit. Noctis can be a horny little shit sometimes, but it’s the soft gentle things that remind Prompto that there’s more to this than sex. And besides, it means even more that Noctis takes the time to be with him even with the promise of Ignis coming home, instead of waiting for the agent.

Bracing himself on the table, Prompto bends a little when he feels Noctis tug down his pants and bites his lip when hands caress his backside as his sweater is pushed up out of the way. He hears something next to him and glances over to see lube and a condom and he whips his head over his shoulder so fast he nearly gives himself whiplash. “You came here prepared?”

“Would you rather I hadn’t?” Noctis quips in reply as he unbuttons his pants. “You were either gonna come home on time, or I was gonna have to bone you here.”

“You only want me for my perfect ass,” Prompto whines, wiggling said ass as he finally gives in and accepts they’re about to soil his worktable in full view of anyone who happened to show up. If anything, it would be Ignis, and maybe that would win Prompto some points, so he accepts his fate as fingers slip inside of him.

“Exactly,” the prince agrees. “That’s why I have you bent over so I can see it.” He slaps one cheek with his free hand as he curls his fingers inside of Prompto and hears that beautiful whimper he loves so much.

Prompto sags onto the table, pushing back into Noctis. “I knew it.”

“And you only want me for my royal dick, so I guess that makes us even.”

Prompto can’t help a breathless laugh as those fingers pleasure him and he’s already too distracted to come up with a witty response. They both know he’s joking, and he knows with every confidence that Noctis really does love him, but time and work have kept them apart, and they’re both horny little shits – Prompto can’t really let Noctis take all the blame for that.

The prince quickly finishes preparing him, slips the condom on, and pushes inside with a breathy whimper of relief. Prompto arches as he’s filled with that familiar warmth and straightens up against Noctis to kiss him as hips start moving against him. The two of them find their rhythm as Prompto curls a hand in Noctis’s hair and presses back into him.

His other hand slipping to wrap around his own cock, Prompto strokes in time with their movements and moans softly against Noctis’s lips before the prince gently guides him back onto table to thrust with more leverage. His hands find Prompto’s hips and pull him back against him, grunting softly with the effort and pleasure it brings them both. He loves being on top, loves the feeling of being _inside_ Prompto.

He also loves Prompto being inside him – they change positions with their moods, and today, Noctis is very much feeling in charge.

The office is silent save for the sounds of their pants, whimpers, and skin slapping on skin. The air kicks on and goosebumps cover them both, mixed with the sweat building from the exertion of their sex. Noctis has never been one for stamina, but usually the sex is enjoyable enough that its duration is never really an issue. Prompto is already pushing back with an eager need for more and based on the rather erratic thrusts inside of him, he knows the prince is close.

Pushing himself up onto his elbows, Prompto lets his head drop forward as he slips a hand down between himself and the table to bring himself closer. “Come on,” he encourages Noctis with a whine, biting his lip and whimpering as a thrust brings stars to his vision.

In between Prompto’s noises and whispers, Noctis can’t hold back anymore. His thrusts quicken as they both shake from the exertion and anything the quartermaster tries to say is cut off with each thrust. The tension builds, Noctis lets out a desperate whine, hips stuttering as he comes hard inside of the blond, pushing in deep.

Prompto strokes himself faster and pushes back into each thrust, gasping when Noctis orgasms and coming seconds after into his hand. The world spins for a moment as the prince chases his orgasm until he’s spent, sagging atop the blond quartermaster as they lay in their afterglow atop the work table.

“Fuck,” Prompto breathes as he feels lips on his shoulders again and then up in his hair.

It takes Noctis a few moments to recuperate, and then he’s pulling out and cleaning them up as best he can. He finishes just as Prompto pushes himself off the table and hurriedly fixes his pants, turning to face the prince with flushed cheeks.

“…I do love you for more than the sex,” Noctis says, stepping close to kiss Prompto after they’d both zipped up. “…You know that right?”

“Of course I do,” Prompto assures, deciding not to tease Noctis anymore about that for tonight. “We’ll have free time again soon, I promise. All the video games and pizza you could want.”

“And sex,” the prince adds with a smirk, dotting a kiss on Prompto’s lips as footsteps sound outside that jerks them three feet apart.

A tall figure emerges through the doorway and Prompto is _so_ glad for Noctis’s lack of stamina. If either of them had lasted any longer, they’d have been caught by Ignis himself. A bag slung across his shoulders, Ignis strides into the room with an air of unshatterable confidence. He’s changed at some point since returning from the mission, dressed in a gray shirt that looks like silk, dark pants, and boots – definitely not mission attire. Green bespectacled eyes go to Noctis and a smile graces his lips as he approaches the prince and reaches to run gloved fingers through those dark locks.

“Highness,” Ignis says, bending down to press a kiss to the younger man’s temple. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. What a pleasant surprise.”

“Hey Iggy,” Noctis murmurs, somewhat embarrassed to do this in front of Prompto – it’s not a usual habit. He glances at Prompto, gives a small wave, and slowly exits from the room as he gives the blond a signal that he’ll text him.

Prompto watches him leave before he turns his attention to Ignis and puts his game face on. “Specs,” he greets with a nod, gesturing to the soiled yet spotless work table. “What do you have for me?”

Ignis offers a smile and puts his bag on the table, unzipping it and producing a small drive and setting it down. “The tracker,” he offers. “I can’t say for certain what I managed to procure off that machine, but hopefully it will provide some information as to what that facility was doing.”

Nodding, Prompto looks at the tracker for a moment and then lifts a hand expectantly up at Ignis’s face. The agent blinks down at him before Prompto snaps his fingers and gestures with his hand again. “Your glasses.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Your glasses,” the blond repeats, still holding his hand out until Ignis takes his glasses off and hands them to his quartermaster in confusion. He watches as Prompto pulls a small device from his pocket, which turns out to be a multi-tool of some sort, flips out a minuscule screwdriver, and produces a tiny chip from the frame of Ignis’s glasses.

“What the devil is that?”

Prompto smiles up at the agent as he hands him back his glasses. “The film from the camera that I installed in your glasses,” he explains, always loving when he pulls one over the other man’s head.

“When were you going to tell me about that?” Ignis seems annoyed and Prompto knows _exactly_ why, but he chooses not to address it.

“Because people act differently when they know cameras are involved,” he says with a shrug, reaching under the table for a drawer, pulling it open and finding a container for the tiny chip. “Even agents.”

“But now I know about the chip,” Ignis points out.

“Cameras aren’t needed for every mission,” Prompto replies as he picks up the tracker and walks over to a computer kiosk across the room.

“Oh, just admit already that you wanted to see me naked,” Ignis purrs as he follows the blond, enjoying the reddened cheeks his comment evokes.

“Everyone’s seen you naked, Specs,” Prompto counters easily as he plugs in the tracker and hears the soft laugh from the agent. His fingers fly over the keyboard as he accesses the device and extracts the information. It’s fractured, more than likely from being prematurely removed while still downloading data, but it’s salvageable.

A mass of letters and numbers erupt on the widescreen on the wall before them, and although it’s gibberish at first, a few more seconds of quick typing and the chaos starts to organize. Prompto squints as he tries to read what’s on the screen, frowning when he sees words form in different places that spell out trouble even before the rest of it starts to fill in.

“Clones,” he whispers aloud, even though Ignis had already announced this yesterday. “Specs, they’re building an army. This wasn’t the only facility they had.”

“An army?” Ignis questions as he steps forward next to Prompto. “They can’t possibly be that mad. Who on Eos would even think to do this?”

Prompto shakes his head and turns to face the agent, stunned by how close the other man is standing to him. He blushes and steps back, catching a wisp of that delicious cologne as he does so. “I’ve got to inform Cor and His Majesty,” he says, turning back to the keyboard to start saving information and to notify his superior.

“I suppose we will be speaking again soon, then,” Ignis replies. “I’m off to debrief and then I need a bloody stiff drink after that plane debacle.”

“You mean you didn’t already have ten on the flight home?”

“ _Ha_ ,” the agent says dryly. “Bold words for someone who sounded distraught over my potential demise yesterday.”

Prompto fails to stop himself from jerking in surprise as he gives Ignis a quick look and then stares at his keyboard, cheeks aflame. He’d been convinced for so long that Ignis hadn’t known it was him on the earpiece, when had he found out?

Did that mean the agent was willingly flirting with him?

Before he can think too much on it, there’s a body beside his and Ignis’s lips are mere inches from his ear. “That’s not how I imagined your first time screaming in my ear.”

Prompto’s mouth opens and closes several times, brain malfunctioning and refusing to supply him with a comeback, before he’s saved by the sound of a phone ringing – it’s Ignis’s and the agent draws back with a charming smirk as he puts the phone to his ear. “Ignis.” He nods and hangs up. “Saved by the bell. I’m late for my debriefing.”

The quartermaster can only stare at Ignis as he turns and leaves, plucking his bag from the table along the way before giving the table a look. He glances back at Prompto with a knowing stare until he disappears through the doorway, leaving the poor blond in horrifyingly embarrassed and aroused silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this story <3 I was hoping for more readers, so i'm a little disappointed with the response to the prologue, so here's to hoping this chapter does better. PLEASE don't forget to comment and leave kudos, I promise I want to hear from you! help me get this story some loving <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> enter gladio.  
> ignis meets with the head of the Kingsglaive.  
> and ignis drives gladio home.

As Ignis leaves the quartermaster’s room and heads through the adjoining labs back out to the halls, he fiddles with his glasses, unable to help the feeling that there’s still another camera hidden inside. He’s still messing with the frames as he passes out into the hall, right past the large, bulk of muscle belonging to another agent.

“So he’s back home and he doesn’t tell me,” rumbles a voice that catches Ignis off-guard.

Embarrassed by the fact, Ignis puts his glasses back on and looks to the side at Gladio, who’s leaning back against the wall, arms crossed so he can show them off. He hasn’t worn a three-piece suit in years, opting not to follow the tailored fashion sense of his colleague and instead, opting to dress how _he_ feels. Today, he’s apparently feeling emboldened with himself, dressed in a tank top and jeans, a far more casual outfit than Ignis feels is adequate.

But damn it, if Gladio doesn’t look good.

“Darling,” he purrs in reply, smiling as he turns to face the other agent. “You know how busy I stay.”

Gladio pushes off the wall and approaches Ignis, continuing his advance until he’s backed the other agent against the opposite wall. “You gonna make time for me?”

Ignis dares a glance around, knowing it’s late and the risk of discovery is slim, but Prompto is just a few rooms away and could find them in a precarious position if he were to come out now. “I always do,” he says, looking into those beautiful amber eyes, “but I have a debriefing I’m already late for.” He tries to squeeze by, but Gladio traps him with thick tattooed arms.

Tattooed arms that keep him from doing any real undercover work – Gladio’s more of a clean-up agent.

“Good, because if I get any more IOUs from you, I could start a bank.”

Ignis chuckles and braves a kiss, hoping his show of affection in a public place is enough to quash any doubt in Gladio’s mind. “Now now,” he chides. “You know that isn’t always under my control. We work for the same government, do we not?” He steals another kiss, this one longer and one that he allows Gladio to take advantage of. He relishes that tongue in his mouth, licking and tasting him and almost loses himself in the kiss – it’s so hard not to with Gladio – before he pulls back with a soft gasp, eyes fluttering. “Damn you.”

A laugh rumbles out of Gladio’s chest and he presses Ignis into the wall to kiss him again, but this time, Ignis manages to weasel his way out from between those arms, darting a few feet away.

“ _Later_ ,” he insists. “We shall meet for drinks and see where the night takes us.”

“Babe, I’ve already got the night mapped out,” Gladio growls as Ignis fights a blush. He watches the other agent turn and hurry down the hall, grinning after him before he stretches and turns to walk the other way.

Just as he does, the short blond quartermaster emerges from within his labs and stops when he sees Gladio. He immediately blushes, as he _always_ does when face to face with the agent, shifting the bag on his shoulder as he looks anywhere _but_ at the agent. “Ah, Shield,” he says. “You didn’t need me for anything, did you? I didn’t have you on the schedule.”

“Nah, blondie,” the mass of muscles replies as he approaches. “Just wanted to catch Ignis before he ran off, you know how he is.”

Prompto lets out a breath and nods, daring a glance up at the taller man. “I do,” he confirms. “Well, if you don’t need me, I should be going…”

“What’s the rush?” Gladio asks, tilting his head. “Always in a hurry and we’ve got the whole night ahead of us.”

“I’m expected somewhere,” Prompto hurriedly replies, shifting his bag against as he clutches the strap. He loves to hate how strong Gladio comes on, how the other man oozes sex and masculinity in such a completely different but just as potent way as Ignis. Ignis is refined and elegant, Gladio is raw and dripping with it, and this is the biggest secret Prompto’s kept from Noctis.

Ignis isn’t his only crush.

But Gladio and Noctis bicker all the time. They don’t hate each other, it’s not like that, but when Gladio isn’t on missions to assist or extract agents, he’s in charge of training. Noctis, despite not being an agent, as the son of the king, is expected to maintain a certain image. He won’t be some pompous, suit-wearing royal, King Regis expects his son to maintain the same kind of skill as himself – to fight, defend his home and country _and_ himself.

To be fair, Noctis hadn’t complained. In fact, he’d befriended most of the agents in the process, which had bolstered his somewhat shaky confidence at the time. But Gladio is the least monogamous person in the Citadel – and Noctis is not on his list of exceptions. His style of flirting, however, doesn’t appeal to the prince.

At all.

His too-strong, name-calling ways often rub Noctis the wrong way. Being called ‘Princess’ doesn’t exactly make him want to drop his pants and bend over for the other guy. To him, Gladio is abrasive, loud, and obnoxious – his _only_ redeeming quality is that he’s hot. Too hot. _Supremely_ hot. Noctis doesn’t have a choice _but_ to get along with the agent, since Gladio’s father serves the king as bodyguard, and will likely serve Noctis the same way whenever the prince takes the throne.

Distracted by his thoughts, Prompto finds Gladio’s right in front of him now, and he backs into the wall out of sheer instinct. Gladio closes the distance and leans in close, a sea of cologne washing over Prompto in a way that makes his knees weak. How on earth does this man wear so much but make it smell _so good_? He grips the strap of his bag even tighter as Gladio’s hands find his hips – a bold move, but not unusual.

“Love this sweater thing you got goin’ on,” the big agent growls as their hips touch. “…Should be the _only_ thing you got on.” He pushes the sweater up and Prompto clenches his eyes shut for a moment before he squirms to the side.

“You know this could totally be sexual harassment dude,” he quivers, not meaning a single thing he’s saying, but hoping he’s sounding convincing.

“Oh?” Gladio asks as he turns to face Prompto, leaning against the wall where the blond had just been. “What’s the punishment for that?”

Prompto looks at Gladio, gaze firm, surprising the agent. “Someday you’ll have to make good on all these implications.” He lifts his brows in a silent challenge before he hurries off down the hall, with Gladio’s amused laughter following him.

  
  


* * *

“Ah, Ignis, there you are,” Cor says as the door to his office opens and the agent appears. “Sit down, we have much to go over.”

“Do you think we’ll be long?” Ignis asks, receiving a sharp look from the head of the Kingsglaive, to which he returns a placating smile and says, “it’s been a long twenty-four hours, sir.”

“Hm,” Cor huffs in reply as he sits down at his desk and presses a button. The shelf behind him separates and reveals a screen, data lighting it up before assembling itself into legible information. “Prompto has already sent me the information you recorded on the tracker, and he’s started the analyzation. We should have additional information by morning.” He taps a few buttons on his in-desk keyboard, and a highlighted section of the data appears and enlarges. “Data shows this is one of three facilities hidden in the Niflheim outlands. Did you see anything alluding to other locations?”

Ignis’s eyes flash over the words on the screen as he shakes his head. “No, sir,” he answers. “Security was lax, patrols were present but minimal, and most, if not all, of the staff were scientists. Perhaps if I’d managed not to trip the alarm I could have investigated further, but this facility seemed isolated. Unless there were other methods of access, you were all aware the only way in and out was that runway.”

Cor nods grimly and taps another button on the display, one that brings up video that Ignis realizes is from his glasses. He grits his teeth and hopes that nothing untoward was recorded earlier, but the video that plays is of the facility and the abandoned equipment that he’d found. “This piqued my interest the most,” the head of the Kingsglaive, codenamed the Immortal once upon a time in his agent days, says. “Care to tell me what you think?”

At first, Ignis is at a loss. He hadn’t been able to figure out then why they’d kept the machinery, and he still doesn’t understand it now. Why had it captured Cor’s interest? It’s just old equipment— _oh_. His eyebrows lift and Cor nods sagely.

“Exactly,” he says as if he can read the agent’s mind. “This equipment is _years_ old. They’ve been at this for a while, but it seems as if they only recently mastered the cloning process.”

“So we’ve caught a break.”

“Precisely,” Cor agrees, “but how this managed to escape our intel for all this time is something I’d very much like to know. If someone is interfering with the data we’ve been mining from Niflheim, then we most certainly have a problem. Prompto will be working on that tomorrow. The tracker you used also had a tracer program installed. Hopefully it had enough time to gather enough data that will allow Prompto and his team to locate the other facilities.”

Ignis tilts his head. “Will I be going back?”

Cor taps the keyboard again and the screen darkens as the shelves slide back over it. “Possibly,” he says. “It may be risky to send you back in when they may know your face. You’re one of our best, Specs, you know this, but I don’t want you getting a big head over it either. We’re still going through the data, we can’t be hasty. I want your report on my desk by noon, don’t leave anything out. Expect another meeting tomorrow evening, but in the meantime, get some rest.”

“Yes, sir,” Ignis replies as he rises to his feet and excuses himself from the office. His thoughts feel jumbled as he considers what he’d learned. Nothing mind-blowing, but thought-provoking. Not knowing that Niflheim had been conducting experiments and refining a cloning process that was producing an army was a big deal. How had their intel missed that? There _had_ to be a reason. And knowing that the threat of a clone army was far from over doesn’t sit well with Ignis. If he could have his way, he’d be on a plane going back to take care of the other facilities.

But he supposes they _do_ have to locate them first.

Reaching his car left for him in the garage, Ignis produces his keys obtained earlier and unlocks it, only to have a form materialize out of the darkness of the column nearby. This time, however, he expects it and Gladio seems disappointed that he hadn’t scared Ignis this time.

“Aw man,” he whines, “you were supposed to jump.”

“Gladio, need I remind you how predictable you are?” Ignis asks as he stops outside the driver-side door. “You only managed to scare me earlier because I _hadn’t_ expected you then. Now that you want something, I’m all too aware that you won’t relent until you’ve had it.” He levels his gaze at the other agent and Gladio responds by opening the passenger door and sliding in.

Ignis smirks a little as he gets in the car and locks the doors. He barely manages to get the key in the ignition before Gladio leans over and traps him against the door, kissing him hard and heavy and deep. As much as this turns him on and as much as he’s all but willing to let himself get fucked in a car in view of anyone who walks by – who said he couldn’t be kinky – Ignis likes to maintain an air of decorum and tact. He entertains Gladio for a few moments, letting them both get riled up and hard and _ready_ as the kiss deepens and hands wander, the windows already starting to fog just a little, before he pushes Gladio back with a firm hand, the other adjusting his glasses.

“Down boy,” he breathes, attempting to adjust his mussed hair and clothes. “Be a good pet and be patient.”

Gladio’s eyes are dangerous and glinting, but in a way that suggests he’s willing to behave at the risk of unleashing what he wants when they get to Ignis’s apartment. It’s always Ignis’s apartment. It’s private and lush, and _closer_.

As he starts the car and pulls out of his parking spot, Ignis feels a hand slide onto his thigh and he steals a glance at Gladio as he drives out of the garage. He knows where this is going and as much as he needs it to stop so he doesn’t kill them by crashing the car, it’s the ultimate test of control and precision, so he allows it. He relaxes and concentrates on the road as that hand slips further up his thigh, pressing into his groin as fingers stroke and rub him through his pants.

His breath quickens, but he inhales deep and gets it under control, but his nostrils flare and his pupils dilate as he feels his pants get tighter as he grows hard under that touch. Gladio continues, agonizingly slow, fingers electric even through the fabric before the touch goes away and Ignis hears and feels his belt being undone. He comes to a stop at a light and Gladio closes in for a searing kiss as his hand disappears inside Ignis’s pants.

Overwhelmed and embarrassed about it, Ignis lets out a moan of _need_ before he detects the light change out of the corner of his eye and pushes Gladio back. He’s panting again and almost forgets how to drive as that hand strokes him once, nearly causing him to come undone. He swallows thick, regresses to his training, and focuses on the road again. He’s compartmentalized before, he knows what he’s doing, he can let himself be pleasured and still get the job done of driving them home safely.

Gladio takes immense pleasure in watching Ignis struggle to maintain his composure. He strokes Ignis’s thick, curved cock slowly, thumbing the tip, spreading the precum for some lubrication. It’s like watching a work of art, really, as Ignis licks his lips and bites it – he hides it well, and his gloves cover his more-than-likely white knuckles as he grips the steering wheel.

“Come on, Iggy,” he goads, leaning across his seat as they stop at another light. “Will I finish you before we get to the apartment?”

“Don’t,” Ignis gasps, sweat on his brow now as he braves a glance at Gladio. “Make it last, darling, you know how I love that.”

“Don’t I ever,” Gladio growls in reply, thumbing the tip of Ignis’s cock again and smiling when it elicits a soft breathy moan.

They’re only two blocks again and that’s when Gladio throws it into gear, speeding up his hand, not too much, but enough to make the car swerve a little as Ignis fights to keep himself under control. He should’ve anticipated Gladio would do this but he can’t help the way his hips _need_ to move, his _need_ for more stimulation, his need for release. It takes everything within him to drive them into the garage of his own apartment complex – fortunately, one that only needs the tag on his windshield to open, and not a security guard – and almost recklessly drives them up to the top.

By the time he parks in his spot, Ignis unbuckles his seatbelt, grabs Gladio by the back of his neck and pulls him down into his lap. He lets out a choked moan of absolute _need_ when he sinks up into wet decadent warmth, jerking his hips up into Gladio’s more than willing mouth as his head falls back and his tangles his fingers in the other agent’s hair. He keeps up his shallow needy thrusts, chasing his orgasm as that thick tongue swirls around his cock and wet slurps fill the car.

It doesn’t take much more to pull Ignis’s release from him. He can’t hold back for long after that torturously beautiful handjob – his fingers tighten in Gladio’s hair, his thrusts quicken as he rocks up into that mouth faster, whimpers on his breath as his toes curl and his stomach tightens. He cries out Gladio’s name loud enough to be heard outside the car, the realization causing an explosion of a blush on his cheeks as he fills Gladio’s mouth with his release.

Gladio takes it all, swallowing around Ignis’s softening cock but not pulling off. He sucks and swirls his tongue around the sensitive length until the hand fisted in his hair pulls him off as Ignis shudders. He’s then yanked into a deep kiss, letting Ignis taste himself in it like the other man often likes to do. He loves when Ignis gets like this, takes charge and becomes possessive. He’s such a power bottom, it’s _delicious_.

“Damn, Iggy,” he pants when they pull apart. “Didn’t think you’d blow your load before the mission even started.”

“Oh, darling,” Ignis purrs coyly, patting Gladio’s cheek with a content and satisfied smile. “That was only the appetizer. The main course is up next.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked >:D that was fun to write. Please don't forget to leave kudos and comments letting me know what you think - it's super important to me and I was hoping this fic would do better than it has :/ <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> noctis doesn't like it when prompto works late.  
> nyx shows up.  
> and a plot-twist.

Prompto works through the night more often than he should, he knows, but things always get too critical too fast. He’d spared time for dinner and a bit of video games and _fun_ with Noctis. Now, with the prince passed out beside him in bed, it’s back to work as he works on the data being deciphered from the tracker. It’s still salvageable, but repairing the errors caused by the premature disconnection takes time, which he’s fixing. Time is not on their side – if Niflheim is building an army and they only found _one_ location out of three or more, they had a problem.

Prompto’s job isn’t to understand the data once it’s deciphered – he has a whole team for that. His job, as it turns out, is to find out why they didn’t know about these facilities. Up until now, their agents in Niflheim had been very lucrative in the information they passed on to the Kingsglaive in Insomnia, but someone had put a plug in their drain, or compromised their contacts, and the information was no longer feeding where it needed to go.

Truth be told, Prompto would rather be deciphering the data. When it came to solving a problem like a potential mole or an agent who’s been compromised and doesn’t know it, he never likes to deal with that. But, it comes with the territory of the job, quartermaster is just a fancy title these days. Yes, he hands out the equipment in addition to building most of it, but he also is contact on missions, guides the agents with blueprints and technology, and countless other tasks that his title fails to cover.

And here he is, at two o’clock in the morning, tapping away on his laptop trying to uncover the reason behind their information lag, well lag is putting it kindly, the information isn’t coming out at all. It couldn’t just be someone in Niflheim stopping the information from going out; someone also had to be stopping it from coming in.

So they were either dealing with two people, or one who had somehow managed to bypass their security. It’s an unlikely scenario, but…they can’t rule it out.

Prompto is so locked up in finding out what he can, that he doesn’t notice Noctis stirring beside him until a hand has slid over his thigh and is gripping his dick firmly. He gasps and stiffens in surprise as Noctis props himself up on his elbow and stares at him in sleepy annoyance.

“Don’t you have a bedtime?”

Flushing for more than one reason, Prompto’s fingers lift off the keyboard as he looks at the prince. “Pressing matters, honestly!”

The hand on his dick squeezes and Prompto whimpers as his eyes cross. “You close your laptop right now,” Noctis says, “or this is the last time this hand touches you for a _week_.”

Prompto scoffs, despite not having the upper hand…literally. “You do know that leaving me high and dry for a week means that _you’re_ left high and dry for a week too, right?”

Noctis’s sleepy scowl deepens but he squeezes Prompto’s cock again and moves his hand this time, slowly. Prompto’s determined stare wavers, but he fights not to give in – even if his dick starts to betray him by stiffening in Noctis’s hand.

“Maybe I’ll just do this for a bit,” the prince starts to taunt, “and _just_ when you get to the edge, I suddenly decide I’m sleepy again.”

“You wouldn’t,” Prompto replies, calling Noctis on his bluff. “Your threats don’t mean much when I know your predilections better than you.”

Noctis blinks at the word. “Predilections?” he asks, stroking again and thumbing the tip torturously slow, eliciting a whimper from the blond. “You’ve been talking to Ignis for too long, you’re starting to sound like him.” He sits up and shuts Prompto’s laptop – ignoring the blond’s protest – before he carefully shoves it to the side and crawls over the blond under the covers.

“Your plan is off to a great start,” Prompto observes shakily, lifting an eyebrow now that he’s got a horny prince in his lap. He fully expects Noctis still has something up his sleeve, but he can’t imagine _what_. Although he’s been trained for torture and all sorts of scenarios that he would have to keep a straight line of concentration in, having a naked Noctis in his lap was not one of them. His resolve wanes, but he doesn’t make the first move, he waits and observes instead.

“I wasn’t ever really good at threats,” Noctis dismisses with a shrug, searching the covers for the abandoned lube from earlier that evening – yes, this will make it their third time tonight – and gets Prompto’s hardened dick ready. He hates that Prompto had been right, he could never go that long without sex. But since he’s never guaranteed to get it from Ignis, due to the other man’s insane schedule, he can’t withhold from Prompto and expect to get anything on the side for sure.

Unless he decides to entertain Gladio.

He seats himself on Prompto with a sigh of relief, sinking until his cheeks touch Prompto’s thighs and he grinds his hips with a wanton need for friction.

“Y-you know, if your dad… _fuck_ , if your dad finds out you’re the… _hn_ …reason for this information getting—” Prompto’s cut off by fingers on his lips as Noctis braces his other hand on Prompto’s chest for leverage and starts fucking himself on the blond’s dick. It feels too good for him to bother complaining any longer anyway, his hands finding the prince’s hips so that he can thrust up into that blissfully tight warmth.

He always likes facing Noctis more than getting it from behind. This way, he can watch the prince’s face during – the look of concentration, brows furrowed, lip bitten, a sheen of sweat on flushed cheeks, dark hair sticking to his face. It’s beautiful. Noctis is a different person when he’s on the receiving end, but he’s still a determined prince who knows what he wants.

They move together, finding the rhythm they know so well as Noctis comes down for a kiss, slow and deep. Prompto tries to break away and talk again, but Noctis simply guides him back into a kiss to hush him, so that the only sounds are shared pants and moans and wet skin slapping – perfection. And when they come together in a chorus of breathy cries and strings of white, and then bask in the afterglow, ignorant of their filth if it means just holding each other and letting the moment be.

Of course, Prompto doesn’t let them stay that way for long, and they move to the bathroom, but Noctis insists on a bath at two in the morning, to which Prompto begrudgingly agrees. After waiting for it to fill and adding bubbles at the prince’s further insistence, they fall asleep in the warmth, which turns into them shivering from the cool water as they crawl out an hour later. A quick dry off and they’re back under the covers of their warm bed, wrapped in each other’s arms, and falling back asleep.

Just as he drifts off to sleep, a thought jerks Prompto back to consciousness about the information issue, about how more than one person could be involved, but he’s wrapped up in the cocoon that is Noctis’s arms, and the prince is pretty much like a growth at this point. Only himself or surgical precision will pry him off of whatever he’s attached to.

Prompto hopes his brain lets him remember in the morning.

* * *

It doesn’t.

Prompto arrives at the Citadel blissfully unaware of his revelation while falling asleep the night before. He heads inside and down into his lair in the basement, ready to finish things up and work on gadgets for another agent’s unrelated mission. His team has probably already finished most of the work, but Prompto insists on putting on the finishing touches on all equipment – so sue him, he’s a bit of a perfectionist.

He doesn’t expect to see an agent waiting for him – Nyx Ulric of all people, leaning against one of the lab tables as he looks around. “Been a long time since I’ve been in here,” he comments as Prompto walks in, smiling at the blond as he pushes off the table and walks over. “How ya been?”

Once an agent as skilled as Ignis is now, Nyx had retired to be Cor’s right-hand man a few years back. He’d stopped an assassination on King Regis, but at a high-cost to his health after a fight to the death with a traitor agent named Luche. It had taken a toll on Nyx physically that had taken him years to recover from; now, he finds use as Cor’s second-in-command, and enjoys the job well if it means still staying in the business.

Prompto answers with a yawn as he sets down his bag and accepts the hand, grip firm. “I’ve had better nights of sleep,” he admits, hoping he isn’t blushing. “The prince is a handful.”

Nyx laughs and nods, aware of the relationship for security reasons. “Actually why I’m here,” he says. “I’m taking him on a day trip outside the city. We’re leaving as soon as he gets here. He wants to go fishing, who are we to stop him? But he’s not going without an escort, King Regis’s orders. Ignis is too busy with this clone business, Gladio has a class full of new recruits to train today, so I get the lovely job of taking His Highness out.”

“What do you need from me?” Prompto asks with a shrug of confusion as he starts his coffee machine up. “Tips on how to keep him from ditching you?”

“You know there’s no stopping him,” Nyx replies with a laugh, “which is why I’m hoping you can give me a tracker.”

This time Prompto laughs, incredulous as he turns to look at the Kingsglaive in surprise. “Are you serious?” He laughs again. “Dude, he’ll kill you if he finds out.”

“Well, I don’t feel like chasing him down if he ditches me today,” Nyx protests with a shrug of his own, “so if this gives me the upper hand, why not?” He sighs as he reads that incredulous expression, shoulders slumping. “Come on, man. I know I’m up to the task, but I’m still not the agent I once was. I don’t have Noct’s energy. I can’t spend all afternoon hunting him just because it entertains him to ditch his security all the time.”

There’s a moment of silence as the quartermaster thinks. “You still have to make it seem like you’re searching,” Prompto finally says as he turns from his brewing coffee to dig out a tracker for Nyx, “otherwise, he’ll figure it out.” He digs out a small case from a drawer and hands it to the Kingsglaive, who’s smiling in relief. “They look like clear little band-aid patches, just put one on your finger and pat his back or something.”

Nyx takes the case with a lifted brow and laughs. “Wow, I miss this gadget shit.”

“I’m sure the shit misses you too,” Prompto assures with a smile, turning back to his coffee before he pauses. “I need that case back, by the way.”

“Yes, sir,” Nyx says with a mock salute. “Thanks, man.”

Just as the Glaive turns to leave, someone else enters the lab, but instead of one of his assistance like Prompto expects, it’s Noctis. He’s still yawning as he walks in, blinking when he sees Nyx, who’s managed to hide the case with casual ease.

“Nyx?” he asks. “What are you doing down here?”

“Looking for you, Highness,” comes the smooth response. “I know you wanted to leave early, so I assumed you came in with Prompto this morning.”

“I overslept,” Noctis mutters, still skeptical as he passes the Kingsglaive to go to the blond and kiss him good morning.

Prompto returns it, eyeing Nyx as the former agent weasels out a tracker onto his finger, sets the case down, and approaches the prince and boyfriend. “Come on, Highness,” he said, clapping a hand on the youth’s shoulder and placing the tracker easily. “The fish are waiting.”

Noctis turns and gives the other man a look, still skeptical but he can’t figure out the angle. “Why are you acting like you _want_ to go out on this babysitting trip?”

“Are you kidding?” Nyx asks in reply. “I haven’t been outside the Wall for _months_. I love my job, man, but I don’t get to see a whole lot anymore except my desk and Cor’s office. I’m stoked Ignis is too busy for this.”

“Uh-huh…” the prince mutters, turning back to the blond and kissing him again. “Do you think you’ll be able to go to dinner tonight?”

“Hard to say,” Prompto answers reluctantly, receiving a nod and one final kiss before Noctis pulls away and gives Nyx one last look.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Nyx watches at the prince walks past him, giving a thumbs-up to the blond quartermaster before he follows Noctis out of the lab.

Prompto sighs as they leave and thinks about the day ahead, wondering if he’d just forgotten about this trip or if Noctis had forgotten to tell him. He doesn’t like the weird feeling he has – he’s not normally forgetful, and neither is Noctis, but Prompto is usually aware of everything going on in the Citadel as part of his job. He checks the schedules and flips through itineraries and sure enough, there’s Noct’s trip, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a last-minute decision.

Sighing again, Prompto gets his coffee and heads over to get started on finishing his work with the data, hoping whatever this weird feeling is will go away.

Two hours later and Prompto manages to finish patching the data and deciphering it. He runs it through his system, sipping his now-cold coffee with a frown before his screen explodes with information and he jumps in surprise before cursing. He pulls up another screen with a swipe of his fingers and sends off an urgent message to Cor, telling him he needs both Cor and Ignis in the lab immediately while sending another message to his associates to put a rush on finding out more about their mole and/or plug. He wishes he could’ve gotten that done on his own, but it is what it is.

In a matter of minutes, both the Head of the Kingsglaive and Ignis come rushing into his lab. Prompto waves them over and shows them what he’s managed to extract and prepare in those few minutes. “I don’t have definitive locations, but I have approximations,” he says, tapping a key on his keyboard which pulls up a map and two highlighted areas. “Both additional facilities are likely in Niflheim as we suspected. I can’t be certain, but it’s almost definite that one is in Zegnautus Keep, but the other, is definitely in this region.” He gestures with his hand, feeling Ignis’s eyes on him, but he can’t look.

He’s still thinking about those spoken words from the night before.

“I hate to admit that we’re still working on finding out how we’re not getting this information, why we didn’t have this already,” he adds reluctantly. “Someone has put a plug in our feed for sure, or messed with our sources in Niflheim. We’ll need to send someone in and meet up with our contacts directly.”

Ignis makes a slight face at those words. “Please don’t tell me…”

“Yes,” Prompto confirms, hiding his smirk at the agent’s displeasure. “Dino.”

“He’s not a contact, he’s a gossip,” Ignis huffs, crossing his arms as he looks away. “It’s all about the money.”

“Which we have plenty to grease his wheels with,” Cor says, looking at Ignis with a lifted brow. “Not up to the task?”

“I never said that,” Ignis quickly counters. “I’d just prefer better company. I shouldn’t have to pay someone to help their country, and besides, are we still certain he’s trustworthy?”

“He’s monitored,” Prompto replies with a nod. “He doesn’t have the means to be our mole or our plug.” He offers a smile. “He’ll get you your information.”

“But at what cost?” Ignis asks, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tries to think about a plan. “You do know he’ll expect me to help _him_ with something, don’t you?”

Cor shrugs and looks at Ignis. “This is the most bitching I’ve heard from you since before you became a Kingsglaive,” he comments. “Should I send someone else?”

Ignis tries not to scowl but fails. He doesn’t like to lose face in front of Cor. “When do I leave?”

“Tomorrow,” Cor immediately replies, “get packing. Prompto, get his gadgets ready and immediately give us any updates, if any, on the plug or whatever it turns out to be.”

“You got it.”

Before either Cor or Ignis can leave, however, an alert suddenly comes over every screen, alarms blaring as Prompto rushes over to his keyboard, fingers flying. He immediately pulls up the agent’s SOS and feels his heart catch in his throat at the name: Nyx Ulric. He quickly taps another key and pulls up the incoming video stream, revealing Nyx with a bloody gash in his head, one hand pressed to the wound as he holds his phone shakily.

“They took him!” he gasps. “They took Noctis!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what a twist! (Props if you get the reference)
> 
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments! <333 Thank you as always for reading, I really appreciate it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ignis goes after noctis.  
> ignis finds noctis.  
> prompto loses something big.

In a flash, they all take action. Prompto’s fingers are immediately flying over the keyboard, tracking Nyx’s location, sending a team for extraction, as Cor whips out a phone and Ignis turns to leave, ready to go after his prince.

“Specs, wait,” Prompto commands when he hears those heeled boots retreating. He doesn’t turn to look, doesn’t let himself be distracted, but he knows Ignis will listen. Sure enough, the boots come back to him, and a soft wave of that way-too-delicious cologne wafts over him.

“You found something?”

“Not yet,” the quartermaster replies with a shake of his head, still tapping as Cor starts talking into his phone, speaking directly to Nyx as Prompto works his magic. “Nyx had the amazing foresight to put a tracker on Noctis this morning. He knew the prince would try to ditch him, didn’t feel like chasing him all afternoon—ha!” He taps a key hard with a finger and a map pulls up, two dots begin pinging – one being Nyx’s, unmoving; the other is clearly Noctis, several miles away and moving further by the second.

Ignis leans in closer, eyes rapidly darting over the map before he points with one gloved finger. “The station,” he says. “They’re heading towards the train station.”

Cor hangs up from his talk with Nyx. “He’s fine,” he reports, “was overtaken from behind. He’s convinced it was magitek soldiers.”

“Niflheim,” Prompto whispers to himself before his hands clench and he heads over to one of his lab tables. “If they’re going to try and take the train back to Niflheim, then time is totally limited,” he’s saying as he pulls out a wide drawer, filled with gadgets. He takes out a modified gun and hands it to Ignis, expression tense. “Don’t get excited, it’s just another piton gun. But…” He closes the drawer and opens another one behind him. “If you’re dealing with magitek, better take a few of these.” He grabs a bunch of grenade-like objects and slips them into a bag – Ignis can strap them wherever later. “You’ll need some EMFs.”

Ignis approaches him and takes the items, but his touch most definitely is intentional when he lets his fingers brush over Prompto’s hand.

“…Bring back our prince, okay?”

A smile comes to the agent’s lips and he nods, taking the proffered gadgets as he straightens his back and glances to Cor, who nods as well. “I presume Aranea will be taking me?”

It takes Prompto a second to come out of his reverie from their hand-touch. “I’m alerting her now,” he answers, rushing past the agent to get back to his computer and send out an alert. “Done.”

“Then, I will see you when I have our prince.”

Prompto looks over his shoulder to find Ignis watching him and he tries not to let those eyes pierce him, but they do. Even though they both know he’ll be in Ignis’s ear the whole time, those words sound like a promise of something more, and Prompto doesn’t understand. All he can hear is Noctis’s warning not to get involved, but those beautiful green eyes tell him that it’s worth the risk.

What’s the worst that could happen?

By the time he comes out of his second daydream, Ignis has vanished and Cor is watching him in concern. “You okay, Prompto?”

The informal question takes the quartermaster by surprise, but he’s glad his dumb daydream could be mistaken as worry over Noctis, who he _should_ be worried about, and is! It’s just…you know, _Ignis_. “Y-yes, sir,” he stammers. “Just…trying to wrap my mind around all this.”

Cor nods and approaches him, pocketing his phone. “What incredible foresight Nyx had for choosing to put a tracker on Noctis today of all days, though I’m sure His Highness will pitch some sort of fit when he finds out.” He lets out a dry chuckle that Prompto smiles at as the blond turns back to the computer. “Don’t forget protocol. A royal has been taken, we’re officially on high alert. His Majesty must be informed, and additional Kingsglaive agents dispatched to Nyx’s location.”

“Copy that,” Prompto replies, fingers working their magic as he carries out each of Cor’s orders. The alert sends an alarm throughout the Citadel, but that’s to be expected. Still, it causes several of his colleagues to come running in, unaware of the situation and Cor turns to address them as Prompto keeps working.

Slipping in his earpiece, Prompto accesses the software to connect to Ignis, unable to help a smile when the agent greets him and kindly tells him he’s late. “I’ve already retrieved my bag and am waiting on Aranea for liftoff.”

“What do you want, a cookie or something?” Prompto teases in reply. “I’m fresh out of gold stars.”

He tries not to let Ignis’s laugh fuel the butterflies in his stomach, but it does, and even though there are people in the room, Prompto can’t help the banter. It helps him keep his mind off the fact that his best friend’s been kidnapped, but with Nyx’s smart foresight and Ignis’s skill set, Prompto finds he’s not that worried.

“Lifting off,” Ignis advises a moment later. “Contact goes down until we’re in the air. I will check back in then.”

“Copy that.”

* * *

Ignis finishes strapping in just as Aranea flips a few more switches and shuts the hatch of the airship. “Ready for takeoff,” she calls, pushing a lever forward which has the engines roaring to life as they lift off the ground.

Having had to rush to get to the airship and only grab a few things, Ignis is quite limited in his gadgets outside of what Prompto had provided him with. Just like the facility mission, he’s reliant on Prompto for guidance as well as Aranea to get him there. It doesn’t take long to get into the air and away from the port that houses the city’s airships, but they still have to get to a certain height and distance before communications can open back up.

“Sending you the prince’s coordinates,” the quartermaster’s soft voice comes over the link once they’re in the clear. “It looks like they’re going to get to the station before you’ll get to them. Proceed north of the station, following the main track to Niflheim. Specs, be prepared to jump onto the train. The airship is equipped with what you’ll need.”

Ignis smiles a little and adds a chuckle for effect. “Hardly a lover’s leap, darling,” he teases and the silence that follows has him assured he’s earned a blush.

“You’re gonna hurt yourself jumping to conclusions like that,” comes the response Ignis doesn’t expect, and this time he laughs openly. Even Aranea’s smiling as she pushes the thrusters forward, trying to gain distance even though she knows they won’t make it before Noctis’s kidnappers reach the station.

“He got you there,” the former bounty hunter says as she looks back at Ignis. Years ago, she was a thorn in the Citadel’s side. Poaching their hunts, in a manner of speaking and sometimes, working openly against them for whoever paid the most. Eventually, Cor had her on his list of things to take care of, but when they cornered her, she offered to work for them exclusively instead, if it meant keeping her out of the Citadel’s notorious dungeons. She could never be an agent, so she lent the royal family her airship to take them to mission locations, or extract them from danger.

Unfortunately, with the prince being in immediate danger, she hadn’t been sent to extract Nyx, but take Ignis to his drop-off point, but she isn’t the Citadel’s only pilot either. Just their preferred one. She often works with Gladio, whose primary missions are extractions that require an agent’s assistance. He’d likely be going to get Nyx.

The flight takes them about thirty minutes to get to the station and pass it. They soar overhead, locate the north track and follow it, already spotting the train in the distance. Ignis unbuckles from his seat, straps the bag over his shoulders, and tightens it, before hooking himself up to the cords by the airship’s side door. He pulls on the harness, clasps the hooks, and opens the door to a chilly gust of wind.

“Closer!” he shouts as if he needs to, but Aranea doesn’t bicker, just accommodates.

The airship swoops in closer over the train and begins to descend as Ignis’s eyes rake over the length as if he could possibly pinpoint the prince with some secret power.

“ _He’s two cars from the back_ ,” Prompto’s voice says in his ear as if on cue, and the airship lifts up and slows to let the train pass before matching its speed once they’re in line with the end. “ _I’m sure I don’t need to tell you, but repel from the airship, use the piton gun, and enter the railcar by a panel on the roof. It may be safer to approach from a car before or behind, as the access panel could put you in a compromising situation where Noctis is located. He may be heavily guarded_.”

Ignis scans the train one more time before he nods and gets into position. “Roger,” he says softly before he looks at Aranea and nods, jumping from the airship and plunging through the wintry air down to the train before. He closes in fast as the airship lifts to accommodate him in distance, and he whips out the piton gun just like he had back at the cliff to shoot the train and anchor himself to something. He fires, hits his target, pulls himself in, and releases the latches from his harness to drop safely onto the fast-moving train.

“ _I’ll be pacing the train out of sight_ ,” comes Aranea’s voice over the comm in his ear, “ _you let me know as soon as you have the prince, and I’ll come back in as soon as it’s clear._ ”

Ignis gives her a thumbs-up before he quickly lowers his hand back to grip the train’s metal roof, slowly crawling back to the car behind the one Noctis is supposedly in. He hasn’t heard from Prompto, so everything must be as good as it can be, given the situation, but just as he reaches to start unlocking the panel, Prompto’s shouting in his ear.

“ _Wait!_ ” the blond exclaims. “ _Infrared from our satellites is finally coming in. It’s locking on the train now. Both cars are full of soldiers, all armed._ ”

“Sounds like a good time to drop them a little gift,” Ignis replies over the whipping wind, reaching back for his bag and taking a couple of EMFs out.

“ _Sounds like_ ,” Prompto replies with a smile in his voice.

Ignis can’t help a smile of his own as he turns the wheel to open the latch, pulls the pin, waits a couple of seconds, then drops the grenade in with seconds to spare. A soft muffled explosion ripples through the car, obviously not an actual explosion, but an electromagnetic one that hopefully disabled the mechanical troops.

“ _Bingo_ ,” Prompto says with a laugh, “ _all down_. _You’re safe to proceed_.”

Ignis doesn’t hesitate, pulling open the latch and dropping down inside into darkness. He draws the shades on the windows to let in the light, surveying the smoking remnants of several magitek soldiers. He frowns a little, thinking this was a little too easy, and turns to the door, readying a second EMF grenade. Hand on the knob, Ignis waits for a warning and, receiving none, rips the door open, chucks in the grenade after waiting again, and waits for the explosion.

“ _Specs, that didn’t take out all of them, there must be human soldiers with them_ ,” Prompto says, tone surprised. “ _Orders are to take them alive_.”

Ignis groans to himself but nods, kicking the door open again and whipping out a gun. He has more than one, this one equipped with darts to knock out and subdue enemies. Locating several targets that are still stunned from the explosion, Ignis takes each one out with a dart, having just enough to empty his clip. They all sag to the ground, clutching their necks as the agent passes them in search of the prince. He finds Noctis tied up in the corner, blindfolded and gagged and apparently freaking out over the explosion.

Carefully, Ignis kneels before the prince and lowers the blindfold before removing the gag, and just as Noctis fixes to get angry, he sees Ignis’s face and melts into relief. “Oh fuck,” he breathes as the ties around his hands are removed and he throws himself against the agent. “Ignis!”

Ignis returns the embrace, his own relief washing over him as he forgets about the ease of this rescue mission and just feels grateful the gods gave him Noctis back. He pulls back and the prince crushes their lips together with an eager, needy whimper, to which Ignis happily obliges, forgetting their audience for a moment to placate Noctis.

“ _I’m assuming this rescue mission is a success_?” Aranea asks, causing Ignis to sputter as he pulls back and wipes his lips.

“Yes, but we have multiple targets to load,” Ignis replies, “one of you needs to get this train stopped.”

“ _On it_ ,” Prompto says as Ignis steals another kiss from Noctis and rises to check on the downed soldiers. He removes the helmet of the closest one before he drops it and steps back in alarm.

“Iggy?” Noctis asks as he pulls off the ties around his feet. “What’s wrong?”

Ignis doesn’t respond because he’s staring directly into the eyes of a clone from the facility.

* * *

As soon as Ignis tells him what he’s seeing, Prompto stiffens in surprise. Cor is still at his side for real-time updates and frowns down at the quartermaster until the message is relayed.

“Bring them in,” Cor confirms, “maybe there’s information to be gained from dissembling them, or maybe they can communicate. We’ll find out. The mission has not changed.”

Nodding, Prompto passes the order on and switches gears, ready to start working on obtaining more information on the facilities and the mole leak now that they have clones to study. Ignis has things under wraps on the train, Nyx is en route back to Insomnia, it’s the best use of his time right now. But when he types in the commands to switch screens, he’s met with an error that confuses him.

“…What?”

Cor turns to look as well and they both stare at the “DATA NOT FOUND” message blaring across Prompto’s screen. A pit forms in Prompto’s stomach when he realizes what was going on – the kidnapping had been a ruse, a distraction, so that the mole could use their chaos as a means to erase the data they’d mined from the facility in Niflheim.

Immediately, Prompto throws himself into gear. He types command after command to trace the system and find out what had been done right under his nose. It is literally impossible for this to have been done outside of the Citadel’s walls – he could guarantee it until he was blue in the face, it _can’t_ be done. So, he starts tracking all of the mainframes, all of the access points, typing til his fingers start to hurt and his eyes start to strain.

He’s shouting at colleagues to start their own traces, to start going through camera footage, and once they have it under control, Prompto starts looking at the damage to sift through it. He’s typing himself into a frenzy when he finally finds what he’s looking for. The data is irretrievable – they’d nuked it with a worm that would replicate and keep replicating unless the entire base of the file was deleted. One of those few exceptions to Prompto’s skills – very few people could tackle a worm, and Prompto just _knows_ it had been chosen for that exact reason.

“Sir, it’s…it’s gone,” he says as he reluctantly deletes the files before their systems are further compromised. Before Cor can respond, a shout comes from someone across the lab.

“Sir!” he calls. “It…it was accessed _here_!”

Prompto whirls around, stunned beyond belief. “Which terminal?”

“Still tracing,” comes the response. “Number two!”

“Closest to the door, am I right?” Cor growls as Prompto nods. “Order an immediate lockdown of the Citadel. No one in or out until I say so.”

“But sir,” Prompto protests before he can help it. “Nyx is inbound. So is Ignis and the prince with the clones!”

Cor turns to face Prompto, expression grim. “Nyx can be taken to a safe house to be treated. Ignis knows where to take the prince, and Aranea can land at the port and keep the clones until the lockdown is lifted. Calm down, Prompto, and do your job.”

Flushing, Prompto turns back to his console and issues the lockdown. How did things go so wrong so fast? How did they not see the trap for what it was? The clones were likely useless—Prompto stops himself from thinking that way any further. He _refused_ to let those clones be useless. This ultimate slap to his technical prowess would be allowed – he would redeem himself and his team. How their systems were bypassed right under their noses was something he could _not_ let go.

And he would find out who did this. They would go through each and every camera until they had suspects, and he would take that terminal _apart_ to find out who accessed it and sent out that worm. He almost hated the idea of Noctis or Ignis finding out about this, losing face in front of either of them sent a pit into his stomach yet again.

“I must go inform the king,” Cor says as he faces Prompto. “Keep in touch.”

Nodding without responding, Prompto types away, absorbed in his work until he’s stunned out of it by one of his techs.

“Sir?” the younger man says. “Drautos was looking for you earlier but didn’t want to bother you in the middle of this. Did you get his message?”

“No,” Prompto replies, blinking and shaking his head. “What did he want?”

“He didn’t say, only that he’d come back later.”

And Prompto remembers too late what he’d forgotten the night before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :O
> 
> sorry for the delay on this one. i've been feeling super uninspired about all my FFXV stuff right now, none of them are doing very well so it's just got me in a creative slump. i hope this chapter is worth the read - please let me know how you're enjoying the fic, and please don't forget to leave kudos and comments <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompto beats himself up (not literally)  
> ignis cheers him up (twice)  
> and now gladio wants in on things.

Prompto spends the whole day tirelessly working on finding out how the attack happened from the inside. What he’d remembered last night when he’d been in bed with Noctis was this: when Nyx had stopped the traitor years back, they had known Luche had not acted alone, but they’d never found out who he’d been working with despite their best efforts. They’d maintained a high alert status for weeks, but when nothing turned up, they’d assumed Luche had been the mastermind behind the plans, and let things drop.

A bad assumption, but it had been before Prompto joined their ranks, and the only reason why he knew about it now was because of all the studying he’d done. He knew the Citadel’s history backwards and forwards, except at two in the morning when he’s fucking the prince. He winces at his stupidity and wonders if he hadn’t been involved with Noctis, could he have seen this coming?

It’s too late for those sorts of thoughts, and Noctis makes him happy, but yet, they could’ve lost him today, and would it have been Prompto’s fault? There are angry tears in his eyes as he sags back into his chair, staring at the screen where Drautos barely slips in and out of sight to do to the dirty deed. Just a few inches more, and they never would have seen him at all.

Prompto hurriedly sends a message out to Cor that Drautos is indeed their suspect and the manhunt begins. Once the Citadel is cleared, the lockdown to leave lifts, but no one is allowed in except Nyx and his rescue team, and Ignis with Noctis. Once they all return, incoming traffic will be restricted again until Drautos is located.

He hasn’t eaten all day – he usually skips breakfast anyway in lieu of a nice cup of coffee and maybe a donut if someone brought them. The Citadel’s cafeteria usually brings up some pastries or bagels, but today had obviously not been the case. And Prompto had worked well into the evening, sending his people home after they’d done all they could.

He’s been still for so long that the motion-sensor lights in the ceiling start to fade until he’s left in the dark, lit only by the light of his computer screens. It’s only then that he lets the tears fall. No one had said it, and he’s sure no one is really thinking it except for a handful of people, but he’d failed today. He’d let down Noctis, he’d let down the royal family, and he’d let down the Citadel.

Too busy absorbed in his self-pity, Prompto doesn’t hear the footsteps approaching from behind until the hand touches his shoulder, and startles him out of his tears. He jumps out of his chair, blinking as his eyes adjust to the light, and Ignis steps back quickly in apology, no mocking smile or glint in his eye – he looks genuinely apologetic.

“Prompto,” he says softly, “I didn’t take you as the type to self-pity.”

At first, Prompto wells up his retorts, ready to trade words if that’s what they’re there to do, but he waits a beat and hears Ignis’s tone. It isn’t meant to be mocking or condescending, again, his reaction is genuine. He quickly wipes his eyes on his sleeves and sniffles, a blush on his cheeks of embarrassment as he moves to sit back down.

“I failed at my job today, Ignis,” he replies sullenly, “nearly at the expense of Noctis’s life.” He sniffles again and turns his head slightly back towards the agent. “Speaking of, where is he?”

“Under the lock and key of his father,” Ignis replies with a sigh, “after a long debrief, I’m sure.” He steps closer and hands something to Prompto, waiting for the quartermaster to look. When Prompto finally turns his head again, he spots the gadgets he’d given Ignis and can’t help a smile. “In perfect working condition.”

Another sniffle as Prompto looks up through his lashes at the agent. “…You promise?”

“Cross my heart.”

Prompto lets out a soft laugh and turns in his chair to stand and take the items, but as soon as his hands close around them and fingers brush Ignis’s, the agent leans in and presses their lips together. The action stuns Prompto into dropping the gadgets, but Ignis has him in his arms and is guiding him back to the wall, still locked in a deepening kiss until they hit the wall and Prompto gasps.

“W-what?” he stammers. “Ignis, what are you doing?”

Pulling back slightly, Ignis lingers close to Prompto and nuzzles him gently. “Of all the things you’ve done and do,” he murmurs. “Why linger on the things you have no control over?”

“Because those things could’ve cost Noct his life!”

Ignis gives Prompto a look. “Without your _things_ ,” he corrects, “we may never have found him in time.” He strokes the blond’s cheek with one gloved hand. “I am willing to bet you were on the cusp of finding out something more, and yes, the kidnapping was a diversion for the sabotage caused within the Citadel, but imagine what else they may have had in store, without your _things_.”

Prompto lowers his gaze, shaking his head. “Nyx’s idea,” he mutters.

“But without you, it would have merely stayed just an idea,” Ignis corrects again, stroking Prompto’s hair. “Please, don’t fret over one mistake. You cannot win them all. And besides…” He lifts the younger man’s chin with his finger and smiles down at him. “We work together, not alone.”

Realizing Ignis had never answered his question, Prompto’s cut off by another kiss, and regardless of Noctis’s warning, he loses himself in it and lets himself be hoisted against the wall. He clings to Ignis for stability as they move together, as his dreams become a reality, as he finally gets to feel this and experience it…instead of having to _listen to it all the time_.

He’s rather impressed by the way Ignis manages to undo their belts and pants with one hand while he holds Prompto up with the other. He thinks he should be embarrassed when Ignis pulls out a condom and lube but he’s so suave and casual that Prompto stops thinking about it and lets himself go. He stops dwelling on why this is happening, his failures during the day, and lets himself be roused into pleasure by the agent he’s crushed on for so long.

Caught up in the current kiss Ignis has him locked in, Prompto gasps into it when a finger suddenly finds its way inside. He arches against the taller man, stunned by how good that digit feels inside of him as it works its way in and pleasures him. It presses against that nub inside of him and Prompto melts against the wall, grinding down onto it as he whimpers and pants with need. Ignis doesn’t make him wait long before another finger slips in, assaults his prostate, and then a third is added.

Prompto becomes a whimpering mass of goo as he rolls his hips into those fingers with a desperation that surprises him. Ignis’s kisses consume him as he’s tasted and explored, thoroughly mouth-fucked before the other man moves down to his neck and assaults him there with love-bites and kisses. His arms are wrapped tightly around Ignis’s neck as he begs to be fucked, and it feels like ages before he hears the condom wrapper rip after those fingers leave him empty and gaping. He lets go to pull up his shirt and wrap his hand around his leaking cock, trying to avoid ruining Ignis’s expensive clothes and just soil his own chest instead.

As he’s distracted by his own hand pleasuring himself, he feels Ignis cock at his entrance and bites his lip, looking up at the other man. He maintains eye contact as the agent pushes inside and it’s the most intense experience of his life. Those eyes see right _through_ him, that cock – bigger than Noct’s – _fills_ him as his chest heaves and his eyes flutter. He squeezes his cock and moans through his still-bitten lip as Ignis draws back and thrusts up into him.

Jerking against the wall, Prompto tightens his hold around the back of Ignis’s neck as he strokes himself in time with those deep thrusts. He finally manages to open his eyes again and stares up at the other man as he’s fucked deep and sensually, Ignis’s hips rolling in the most expert way. He knows that no one he’s heard this man be with faked a single thing, Ignis knows _exactly_ what he’s doing.

Every thrust is a direct hit on that spot inside of him, like all Ignis had to do was find it once to memorize its location. Prompto can’t help the noises he’s making, echoing off the empty lab walls and coming back to him in an almost erotic way. He really didn’t like to hear himself, but…fuck, it’s kind of hot. He squirms and moves with Ignis as best he can to bring them both pleasure, stroking himself and whimpering as he feels himself already tumbling towards his release.

No, not yet, _please_ not yet. He begs his body to hold on longer, to let him experience this as much as he possibly can, but he knows Ignis has the stamina of a stallion and Prompto, while able to hold on longer than Noctis and has plenty of energy, can’t match that. His whimpers and moans grow in pitch, his muscles tighten, thrusts are bringing spots to his eyes, and he finally comes into his hand with a scream of absolute ecstasy.

As soon as Prompto clenches around him, Ignis fucks him harder, growling in pleasure at the tight vice-like grip around his cock. From the noises Prompto is still making, he’s enjoying it still, and Ignis loves the way that makes him feel – he loves the loud ones. He knows he’s bordering on overstimulating the youth but, finally, his orgasm hits him hard and suddenly as he chokes on his breath and grunts with the last few jerks of his hips. His muscles burn with the effort of holding Prompto up while fucking him, but damn, if he doesn’t love the work out.

He pulls out and sets Prompto down, disposing of the condom before grabbing a few Kleenexes to clean the blond’s hand. Prompto’s chest heaves as he sags against the wall, pale freckled skin covered in a flush that’s lit only by the computer screens a few feet away. This is the part where Ignis lets them go to sleep, or leaves with the promise of a return, but Prompto’s looking at him like he knows this, like he’s waiting for it, and if Ignis does, it’ll break the quartermaster.

“Please don’t,” comes the whisper Ignis doesn’t expect. “Don’t do it.”

Ignis’s hands still where he’s cleaning Prompto’s and he looks back up with a frown. For some reason, he hadn’t really considered Prompto knew it was coming, and he hadn’t even considered doing it. For the first time in a long time, outside of Gladio and Noctis, Ignis had fucked someone with every intention of seeing them again. He’d known for so long that the voice in his ear belonged to the cute blond, knew of the crush (even if Noctis hadn’t told him), but he’d kept things separate because he couldn’t risk the emotional problems it could cause.

But looking at Prompto now, Ignis can’t break his heart. He needs Prompto and Prompto needs him. He responds with a kiss, long and deep as he tosses the soiled tissues at the trash bin and lifts Prompto off the floor once again. He brings the quartermaster to the table and settles him atop it, crawling over him and kissing him again.

After a brief rest, they go again until Prompto can’t walk and Ignis has to carry him home.

* * *

Morning finds Gladio perusing the halls after checking in on Nyx. The former agent had been kept in the infirmary overnight for observation, but was being released that morning with the all clear. No lingering injuries, just orders to take it easy for a couple of days. Of course, the means he’ll be back at his desk helping Cor instead of following said orders, but that’s the case for most of the agents when they are told to ‘take it easy’.

As he rounds the corner, he spots Ignis approaching from the opposite direction and smirks at the other man, but Ignis just gives him a look that clearly says ‘behave’, which Gladio definitely has no intention of doing. He tries to swoop in, but Ignis easily avoids the attempt and turns to face him with a raised brow, though his eyes glint with mischief.

“Not now, Gladio,” he chides. “Cor expects me in his office for a briefing. I expect to leave this afternoon for Niflheim.”

“Ah shit, really?” Gladio groans as he faces the other agent. “Thought we had more time. Be careful, yeah?”

“I always am,” Ignis says as he leans in to press a kiss to Gladio’s stubbly cheek. “Though I have a request, if you don’t mind.”

Gladio draws back with a raised brow. “Oh?” he asks. “What’s up?”

“Look after Prompto, would you?” Ignis asks softly, in a tone that Gladio doesn’t expect.

The big guy studies Ignis for a long moment before it dawns on him. “Ohhhh…” he says with a grin that earns him one of Ignis’s rare blushes. “I see.”

“Gladio, _please_ ,” the other agent hisses. “I’m serious.” He waits for Gladio’s expression to sober before h continuing and he tries not to huff. “I’m worried he may be in danger, and I plan to express this to Cor when I get to his office, but for now, please… Watch over him.”

“So this has nothin’ to do with the fact that you clearly fucked him,” Gladio looks Ignis over and tilts his head. “Twice.”

“Ugh,” Ignis grimaces at Gladio’s knack for being able to figure stuff like that out. “I will never understand how you landed such a useless talent.”

“Does this mean he’s fair game now?”

“What?” Ignis frowns at the question and looks at Gladio in confusion.

“Well, I thought he and the prince were an item,” the big guy says with a shrug, “but if you’re doin’ him now, he’s clearly not exclusive. So, I got a shot, right?”

Ignis blinks rapidly in surprise, feeling a brief tinge of jealousy that he has to quash. The thing between himself and Noctis, and Noctis and Prompto – it was all sort of just…understood. They were exclusive, but not exclusive when it came to Noctis; they’d just never discussed it. It hadn’t needed to be. But Ignis and Gladio are on a different plane – more of a secret, and definitely more exclusive.

Ignis…would rather not share Gladio because Gladio had only ever wanted him. Hearing that Gladio wanted Prompto…bothers him, and he can tell Gladio’s already figured that out.

“Hey Iggy,” the other man says, “if you don’t want me to, I get it…”

Hearing Gladio be so willing to back off surprises Ignis and he glances up at the agent, thinking about it. “It’s only fair,” he admits after a moment, relaxing his stance as he considers it, “but that’s no guarantee Prompto is willing, I can’t speak for him.” He steps in for a soft kiss and sighs against Gladio’s lips. “If it’s going to be anyone I share you with, I would rather it be Prompto, I suppose.”

Gladio smiles against those lips and pulls back again. “Seriously, never expected you to find a third person you’d do more than once,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t think you’re as picky as you think you are.”

“Or maybe there is just more than one person out in the universe for me,” Ignis replies with a tilts of his head. “The three people closest to me are the three people I choose to be intimate with – my prince, my shield, and my quartermaster.”

“Iggy, I’m not your shield—”

Ignis presses a finger to those lips with a coy smile. “You may not be on paper,” he murmurs as he draws close once more, “but we both know you’d take a bullet for me.” He steals a final kiss and turns to continue his trek down the halls to Cor’s office and Gladio watches that ass go with a sigh.

Ignis is right. He would totally take a bullet for that ass. But now he has a new objective in mind – flirt with Prompto and see where things go! He has time before his first round of training with the new recruits, later to be followed by training with the prince – _mandatory_ training after what had happened yesterday. No rest for the weary prince.

Reaching the basement and heading to the labs, Gladio finds Prompto working alone, always arriving before his assistants and always laboring away on some project of his – whether it be gadgets or personal designs.

“Ignis isn’t here,” Prompto says without turning to look as Gladio enters the lab, and the big guy has to stop and balk in confusion. Before he can ask, Prompto pauses and turns to look at him. “I can smell you from here. Do you bathe in your cologne?”

Gladio’s mouth opens in surprise, having not expected to be ambushed like this, but his eyes take in the sight of the high-collared sweater Prompto’s wearing and he can’t help a grin as he meets those violet eyes and steps forward. “Nice sweater,” he says, tugging on the collar of his tank-top. “Kinda warm for that sort of thing, yeah?”

Prompto immediately blushes and turns back to his project. “It gets cold down here,” he quickly replies. “Because of the servers.”

“Okay, but what if you do somethin’ that makes you work up a sweat?” he hears Gladio ask, and the other man is closer now. “Twice?”

Unable to help it, Prompto whirls around in shock to find Gladio right behind him, the question dying on his lips as he stares up at the sex machine of a man looming over him. “Don’t get mad at Iggy, he didn’t say anythin’, I promise,” Gladio admits as he steps back, not wanting to be too creepy. “He asked me to look after you while he was gone, and I have a weird knack for knowin’ this shit.”

Prompto blushes and turns to work on his project – which turns out to be a watch – before he pauses when he processes what Gladio had said. “…He asked you to look after me?”

Gladio leans against the table and looks down at Prompto. “Yeah,” he replies with a smile. “He likes you.”

The blush deepens on Prompto’s freckled cheeks as he tinkers with the watch again. “No, he doesn’t,” he protests lamely. “He fucks everyone.”

“And then never sees them again,” Gladio corrects, “and he doesn’t ask his closest friend to watch over them.” He smiles when Prompto looks up at him. “Congrats, kid, you’ve joined the Mile Ignis Club.”

“There’s a club?”

Gladio laughs and facepalms, shaking his head. “It was a joke, blondie,” he says. “It’s just me, you, and Noctis.”

Prompto looks up sharply. “You and Ignis are a thing?”

“Yup,” Gladio admits with a nod before he turns to face Prompto completely, leaning on the table. “I’d like to be a thing with you too.”

Visibly swallowing at Gladio’s forwardness, Prompto turns back to the watch and shakes his head. “I don’t do flings. Ignis was…was an accident.”

“That’s a lie and you know it,” Gladio laughs, straightening and crossing his arms. “You won’t hurt my feelings if you say no, but we’ve been dancin’ for quite some time. I’m ready to take things up a notch.” He pauses at a thought and uncrosses his arms. “Uh, if you need to check with the prince, I understand.”

Prompto looks up in surprise at those words and then back down at the watch. “…Gladio, I don’t want to fuck three people,” he says as he gets up. “I love Noctis, and he loves me. If Ignis doesn’t want that sort of thing with me, then it’s not going to go anywhere with him. What happened between us last night was great, and I’d love to do it again, but…not if it’s just going to be fucking.” He straightens his posture and looks up at Gladio. “If that’s all you wanted from me, then no, I’m not interested.”

Though he hates himself for it. Prompto wouldn’t mind being bent in half by the tall, muscular man in front of him, but he sticks by his principles and steels himself for ridicule.

“Then, how about a date?”

The wind is knocked from Prompto’s lungs in surprise and he nearly loses his balance. He blinks up at Gladio and finds himself at a loss for words as the big guy grins down at him before turning serious. “Kid, Ignis doesn’t just ask me to protect anybody,” he explains. “There must seriously be somethin’ about you. And yeah, I’d love to see what you’re like in the sack, but…if you want a date to see if I’m serious, then I’ll take you on a date.” He lifts a finger to close the blond’s open mouth and grins again. “I’ll be back down here after five. You better have a place in mind by then.”

Prompto’s still standing, stunned, after the Shield leaves before hastily sitting back down at the table when one of his assistants finally arrives. His heart is pounding as he thinks about how strange the last twenty-four hours have been. He hasn’t seen his boyfriend, but has already been fucked twice by one of the hottest men in the building, and now another one wants in his pants?

Maybe he should’ve been more resilient. Maybe he should’ve said no. But despite his principles, Prompto does want to know what Gladio’s all about, but what will he tell Noctis should things work out in bed with the big guy?

Somehow, he doesn’t think Noctis will mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a long chapter but gladio didn't want to shut up ;) hope you guys enjoyed the promnis chapter! <3 Hope to pick things back up with the plot soon, I always worry I'm dragging things out. Please don't forget to comment and let me know what you're thinking, and leave kudos too! <333 I promise you I want to hear from you!
> 
> And please share this story, I'm trying to get more readers and failing miserably!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> noctis gets out again.  
> ignis goes to niflheim.  
> enter and exit dino.

Is isn’t easy for Noctis to slip from his dad’s grasp, but he manages. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be protected, but he’s inside the Citadel – what safer place could he _be_ in? He misses Prompto and Ignis, and the only person he’s been allowed to see is Gladio, which has been weird. His first stop is Prompto’s lab, even if Prompto is working, _he needs to see his boyfriend_.

Then, he’s off to find Nyx.

Ignis is probably already gone on his next mission, but maybe Noctis can see him too, if not. He skirts around hallways with cameras, avoids any patrols and makes his way into the basement with far more ease than he should. Perhaps he should raise some sort of awareness that it’s so easy for him to get around, but he’s been doing it since he was a kid, it’s only natural that he’s good at it, right?

By the time he reaches the labs, he slips in unnoticed and hurriedly makes his way to Prompto’s area, but comes to a stop in the doorway when he sees Prompto isn’t alone, but with Ignis. No big deal, but if they’re talking work, Noctis doesn’t want to interrupt. From where he’s standing, it looks like Prompto is loading Ignis up with equipment for his mission, but he’s holding a small box in his hands. After a few moments of talking, Prompto gives it to Ignis, who opens it to reveal a watch.

That’s good and all, but they’re standing awfully close to each other, and although Prompto’s showing Ignis things the watch can do, that’s the watch Noctis had seen him working on. It looks like a gift, more than a piece of equipment for a mission and— Noctis jerks upright when Ignis reaches with one hand to cup Prompto’s face before bending down to kiss him.

“What?” the prince exclaims before he can help himself and Ignis jerks back so fast, he probably gave himself whiplash.

Prompto nearly shrieks in surprise and jumps back, but both he and Ignis seem relieved it’s only Noctis who’s caught them. Hand on his chest, Prompto walks around Ignis to run to the prince, wrapping his arms around Noctis and holding him. “I thought your dad had you under lock and key!”

“He does,” Noctis replies, gently prying Prompto off him. “…What’s going on?”

Ignis approaches, glancing at Prompto before he nods to Noctis. “It’s what it looks like,” he admits, unsure of the prince’s reaction. “Is this alright?”

Prompto looks from Ignis to Noctis, biting his lip in worry. “It kind of just happened, we weren’t trying to hide it,” he says. “We just didn’t realize it was you and not someone else.”

Blinking, Noctis looks between them and gives Ignis a look that the agent has a hard time reading. It takes Ignis only a minute longer to decipher what he’s being told with that expression and he smiles a little. “I have no intentions of doing that to him,” he says aloud, touching Noctis’s face. “It would make work quite awkward, should I try.”

Noctis relaxes a little and nods before he glances down at the watch and tilts his head. “…And that?”

“You’ve seen me working on that,” Prompto insists, gesturing for Ignis to show it to the prince. “It’s his new watch, upgraded with new features. I put a lot of time into this one!” He smiles proudly as Ignis lifts it for Noctis to see. “It’s a prototype for sure, but it won’t fail Ignis, I guarantee it.”

“Nothing you have has yet,” Ignis replies as he takes the watch out and puts it on.

“It’ll take his movements even better, has remote detonation options for explosives, if needed. Even has a laser cutter, and a super powerful magnet!” Prompto’s chest swells with pride. “And it looks pretty badass, if I do say so myself.”

Noctis blinks again down at the watch and smiles a little. “Wow,” he says before looking up at Ignis. “You about to leave?”

“The sooner the better,” Ignis confirms with a nod. “No one is exactly pleased with what happened to you or our systems, so we need to find Drautos as well as find out why our information has stopped coming to us out of Niflheim.”

After leaning in to give Noctis a quick, soft kiss, Ignis draws back and goes to gather his things. “I will be in touch, Prompto,” he says with a nod before turning and leaving the lab.

Prompto smiles a little and waves before he looks to Noctis and bites his lip. “You’re not mad at me, are you?” he asks. “I swear, it just _happened_ , and I couldn’t see you and you weren’t replying to my texts…”

“Ugh, my dad literally imprisoned me,” Noctis scoffs in annoyance, plopping down into Prompto’s work chair. “No phone, couldn’t leave my room, nothing. Like _I_ did something wrong and got myself kidnapped!” He crosses his arms and spins slowly back and forth in the chair. “I mean, not gonna lie, seeing you kissing Ignis after not seeing you for two days wasn’t on my list of things to do, but…” He stops spinning and looks up at Prompto. “I guess this kind of opens new doors for us.”

Sighing in relief, Prompto closes the door to his lab and slips into Noctis’s lap with a smile. “Does it?” he asks as they share a kiss and Noctis nods before they kiss again. It deepens and Noctis uncrosses his arms to slip hands past Prompto’s belt, but the quartermaster draws back with a sudden realization.

“What?” the prince asks.

“Um, promise you won’t get mad?”

“...Uh, no?”

Prompto makes a face, sighing and sitting back in Noctis’s lap. “Gladio kind of asked me out on a date too.”

Noctis’s jaw drops in surprise. “What is this?” he asks. “I go away for a couple of days and suddenly you’re Mr. Popular?”

Prompto cups the prince’s face in his hands and kisses him. “I’ll tell him no if you really want me to, but…” He sighs again. “He found about Ignis and thought that was his pass in. I told him I didn’t want to fuck everybody, and that wasn’t what me and Ignis would be either, so he asked me for a date so he could prove himself.” He bites his lip. “…I kind of said yes because I was so surprised… But I can say no, you know I love you.”

“I wasn’t expecting I’d ever have to share you,” Noctis admits with a shrug and a small smile. “With Ignis, it’s one thing, because he and I already have a thing, so that works for us, but… Gladio?”

“You do know that he’s flirting with you too when he teases you, right?”

“Why’s he gotta do it like that though?” Noctis asks. “He’s sweet on Ignis, I know he’s sweet on you, but he just rubs me the wrong way all the time.”

“To get a rise out of you!” Prompto laughs, squirming in Noctis’s lap and pretending to look dreamy. “Can you imagine the riled up hot sex with that big dick?”

Noctis blushes despite himself and gives Prompto a look. “How do you know how big his dick is?”

“There is a locker room, my dude,” Prompto answers with a smile. “I had to take some self-defense courses back when I first started. I’m a hot commodity, too. Someone might try to kidnap me someday. Gotta defend myself.” He clears his throat with a blush. “I’m sure he did it on purpose, but I _saw_ things that day.”

“You slut.”

Prompto mock-gasps before they kiss again and laugh until a call to Prompto’s lab has the prince located and sent back to his room. He stops in the doorway and looks back at the blond, thinking. “If you really want to,” he says as Prompto turns to look at him, “I won’t stop you. I had Ignis and you, it’s only fair I let you see someone else…well, I know you’re seeing Ignis, but that’s different.” He scrunches his face. “You know what, just ignore me and go enjoy your date.”

“I’ll see if I can convince someone to get your phone back to you,” Prompto replies with a smile, “that way I can tell you about his dick.”

Noctis starts to return that smile before he scowls. He looks for something to throw at Prompto, but everything is fragile, so he gives his boyfriend the finger instead.

“Love you!” Prompto calls as Noctis pouts and stalks out of the lab.

* * *

Ignis takes a standard flight to Niflheim under one of his many identities, but first-class, of course, he’s not an animal. The flight is uneventful and they reach Gralea without incident, met with gray skies and snowy weather. Ignis sighs as he looks out the window and glances down at his watch, checking the time and smiling when it adjusts to the new zone on its own. He really hopes to take care of this new one, something about knowing the time and energy Prompto put into this one makes him want to protect this one more than the others he’s worn.

As the plane lands and Ignis gets off with his one bag and suitcase, he heads out to the pick-up location. He still dreads this meeting with Dino, but hopefully, this won’t be a long trip and his exposure to Dino will be brief.

Stepping out into the chilly weather, Ignis tugs his scarf and coat tighter about himself and glances around for the contact, spotting the other man leaning against a car across the road. He’s busy reading a newspaper and attempting to look inconspicuous, but to Ignis, he stands out like a sore thumb. Maybe that’s just because he doesn’t like the man, but nevertheless…

Sighing, Ignis crosses the road carefully and angles his path to the left of Dino, dropping his suitcase and stopping to pick it up as he irritably says, “Bloody weather. It’s spring in Insomnia.”

Without lowering his paper, Dino replies, “and what are ya? A freaking weatherman?” He rolls his eyes and hastily folds the paper. “Freakin’ Insomnians. Can you knock it off with this shit already?”

Ignis slowly rises in surprise at Dino’s attitude, watching the other man walk off, expecting to be followed. Uncertain, Ignis carefully touches his ear and starts following. “Did you hear that?”

“ _All of it_ ,” Prompto replies, “ _something is definitely up. Watch your back, Specs_.”

With a casual sweep of his gaze to his surroundings, Ignis continues on to where he expects to find Dino getting into his car, and sure enough, the slim man is waiting impatiently by a small compact vehicle.

“Come on, come on,” Dino demands, clearly agitated as he reaches for Ignis’s suitcase to put in the trunk.

Ignis acts as if he’s going to hand it to the other man, but once Dino’s hand is in reach, he grabs the man by the wrist and turns him painfully against the car. “Like you said,” he snaps in Dino’s ear. “Knock it off.”

“Ugh, alright already!” Dino exclaims, shoving Ignis off him before someone sees. “It may be spring in Insomnia, but we’re freezing our balls off here in Gralea.” He bends down to snatch Ignis’s suitcase up. “That good enough for ya?”

Frowning as his suitcase is tossed into the trunk, Ignis shakes his head. “What happened, Dino?” he asks warily. “Something seems to have crawled up your ass and died.”

Dino laughs in response, but there’s no warmth in it. “Buddy, you’re walking into a world of trouble by comin’ here,” he says, earning a brow raise from Ignis. “Get in the car if you want your answers.”

“You aren’t exactly making it seem like the best idea to do that,” the agent replies.

“What, you don’t trust me?” Dino asks as he shuts his trunk. “Have I ever steered you wrong?”

Going against his instincts and Prompto’s warning, Ignis gets in the small car with Dino and lets himself be driven away from the airport. The silence lingers for several minutes before he glances over at the other man. “I presume you know why I’m here then.”

“There’s a hitch in your getup,” Dino laughs as he drives. “Yeah, I know why you’re here.” He shakes his head and gets on the main road. “I don’t have much to tell ya. Flew out here for a whole lotta nothin’.”

“And why’s that?” Ignis asks, feigning surprise. “Niflheim’s best reporter doesn’t know about our information plug?”

Dino makes a face as he takes an exit and pauses at a stop sign. “Niflheim has been making some changes,” he says, looking at Ignis. “Very hush-hush, under the surface. Word is, they’ve got a new chancellor pulling the strings, but he’s been here a while. Years, they’re saying. So we’re just now findin’ all this out. No one’s really seen him, but they’re saying his name is Ardyn. Ardyn Izunia, but the guy’s a ghost. No file, no nothin’.”

Ignis is silent as he processes the information, knowing if Prompto has anything relevant to say, he’ll hear it now.

“ _Ardyn…_ ” Prompto says. “ _Why do I know that name_?”

Sitting back in his seat, Ignis muses for a few minutes longer before he looks back over at Dino. “So, what’s all this got to do about why you’ve become such a pain?”

“Is that any way to treat your old friend?” Dino asks innocently in reply. “Shit, Ignis, those changes may be hush-hush, but they’re affectin’ us here. Weird crackdowns, weird sightings, rumors.”

“What kind of rumors?”

“Claims of some dark shit going on up at Zegnautus Keep,” Dino replies as they come to another stop. “Magic isn’t too common these days, at least not out here, but this Ardyn guy… They’re saying he’s funding research into—”

“—Clones?”

Dino’s head snaps to look at Ignis. “How’d you know that?”

Ignis just taps his temple. “I have my ways.” He smiles before he sighs and looks out the window. “There must be a way to get a look at this Ardyn.”

Shaking his head as he turns his attention back to the road, Dino continues on. “Best thing I can do is point you in the direction of his only known contact.”

“Really?” Ignis asks, surprised. “And who is that?”

“Someone Insomnia knows well,” Dino replies with a smile. “Sir Ravus Nox Fleuret.”

“ _What_?!”

Ignis has to clear his throat and touch his ear at Prompto’s outburst, but even he has to look at Dino in surprise. “What does Prince Ravus have _anything_ to do with Ardyn?”

“Oh, come on, Ignis,” Dino laughs as he gets back on the main road and glances in his rearview mirror. “Even _I_ know about his grudge against Insomnia. If Niflheim is planning something, and we both know they are, you don’t think he’d want to get in on this action?” He smirks. “And wouldn’t ya know it, he’s in Gralea for an ambassadorial visit right now.”

Finding that coincidence odd, Ignis looks away and shakes his head, unable to piece together anything that would make sense. “But what about the plug?” he asks. “Why aren’t we getting information any longer?”

“We got iced out, Ignis,” Dino replies. “Pretty sure they’re controlling the media now, it’s gettin’ weird with this guy.” He finally turns towards downtown and Ignis spots his hotel in the distance.

“Then, it sounds like I need a meeting with the prince,” Ignis murmurs, wondering how he’ll manage such a thing.

“ _I’ll handle that_ ,” Prompto says in his ear and Ignis nods as they pull up to his hotel.

“Thank you for the ride,” Ignis says as he gets out and goes to the trunk. It opens and Dino gets out from the driver’s seat to approach him.

“Yeah, uh, be careful, Ignis,” the reporter says, hands stuffed in his pockets awkwardly. “I don’t like the smell of this guy and I don’t trust the prince neither.” He sniffs in the cold and nods to Ignis. “Sorry I was a jerk.”

Ignis lifts a brow and offers a gloved hand to Dino, not expecting the apology. “So much for a whole lot of nothing. Take care of yourself, Dino,” he replies. “I hope you’ll know when to get out.”

Dino grips his hand firm and nods before hurriedly getting in his car and driving off. Ignis watches him go before turning and heading inside the hotel, ready to get warmed up and eat something nice, but the conversation he’d had with Dino lingers on his mind.

Who is this Ardyn? And what does the Tenebraean prince have to do with this guy?

“ _Sit tight for a while, Specs_ ,” Prompto says in his ear as he waits to check-in. “ _I’ll send you information as soon as I get it_.”

* * *

Prompto spends the afternoon digging up information on links between Niflheim and Tenebrae and finds more than he’d bargained for. The grudge that the prince has against the Kingdom of Lucis is well-known, as he blames King Regis for the death of his mother, but his sister is on good terms with the kingdom and is on even better terms with Noctis.

So what is he doing rubbing elbows with Niflheim? And who _is_ this Ardyn? It’s nearing five o’clock when he decides to run a search for the name in their archives, sending the information he has on Ravus to Ignis, while also setting up an invite to a social event in Niflheim later that evening where the prince is expected to be. He adds a tag about Ignis’s Tenebraean accent proving useful here, while suggesting the ruse of a business transaction with the prince, before ending the note with a promise for more information on Ardyn to come later, while asking the agent to take care. He wants to say more but has to keep things professional.

Just as he finishes typing, he smells Gladio’s cologne and turns to find the man in his doorway, dressed more nicely than he expects. Well, Gladio is wearing a shirt with sleeves, does that count?

“You ready?”

Prompto blushes but nods. “Just a sec,” he says as he scoots past Gladio’s bulky frame to give instructions to one of his assistants about keeping a close eye on Ignis and the search he has running. “Call me with any updates.”

“Even while we’re out on the date?”

“Gladio, as much as I’m curious to see where this night goes, Ignis _is_ out in Niflheim,” Prompto reminds. “If something goes wrong, I need to know about it. It’s my job.”

Gladio sighs and shrugs before nodding and waiting for Prompto to get his things. “So, where are we goin’?”

Prompto smiles up at Gladio. “There’s a nice seafood place a few blocks from here,” he says. “Is that okay with you?”

“Didn’t take you for a seafood guy.”

“Well, if you want the casual pizza lovin’ guy that I am, you gotta earn it,” Prompto replies as they leave the lab together. “So, we’ll go somewhere neutral first. If you pass, then we’ll go to one of my favorite places.”

Gladio smiles and nods. “Alright, challenge accepted.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter wasn't too exciting and was more plot than anything, but I gave you smut last chapter, go appreciate it!!! That being said, with AO3's notifications being iffy, follow me on tumblr or twitter if you don't want to miss a chapter update! I think that might have happened to some of you with my last update? I hope so, because the last chapter didn't do so well :( Please don't forget to leave comments and kudos, they help me out a lot <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ignis gets interrupted by a bored noct.  
> gladio and prompto on their date.  
> enter poet gladio.

Ignis casually sips from his wine glass as he reads over a document while relaxing in the rather spacious tub his hotel room has to offer. He’s being a _little_ careless, but he’s tired from his flight, tired from his conversation with Dino, and feeling a little anxious about this growing threat they still don’t seem to understand. If the Tenebraen prince really _is_ working with Niflheim to grow a clone army, then the Lucian kingdom has more to worry about than initially thought.

And this Ardyn person. Who is he? Where did he come from? How did he manage to cut off their information?

There’s clearly more to the picture here and Ignis is determined to serve his country by figuring it out, but for the first time, he’s worried that this is beyond him. Magic in this day and age is beyond most of society – it had once been an integral part. For some countries, like Insomnia, it still is to a point. Insomnia is protected by the magic of the Great Crystal, whose power the king wields in order to protect the kingdom. Other countries, like Niflheim, lost that power and now covet it, sparking a century-long war between the countries.

Despite not constantly being at battle, the war stretched on. The Great Crystal’s power kept the Lucian lands safe, but at the great cost to the king. Over the years, he’d begun to weaken, and despite their best efforts to keep this information quiet, it seems to have reached Niflheim. What else explains these sudden moves? These recent discoveries? It also seems, that if they couldn’t beat Insomnia with magic, they would beat them with sheer force. It is the only thing that made sense for why they would create clones, but even still…

The technology was far more advanced than they had ever given credit to Niflheim for. Sure, what basic magic they _did_ have had gone into producing the strange Magitek soldiers and… Ignis pauses. Wait a minute. What had happened to the clone soldiers they’d brought back from Noctis’s rescue? He hadn’t heard about any report, and _surely_ , something had to have been gained from their autopsies, or _whatever_ kind of examination they got. He needs to know anything they can surmise about the clones.

Ignis rises from the tub instantly, wine cup in one hand and document in the other, and steps out onto the mat as he sets both items down on the nearby counter. He dries off, drains the tub, dons a robe, and grabs his wine glass and document before leaving. He quickly crosses the hotel room and finds his phone to contact Prompto, then Cor, but before his fingers can start a message, his phone rings.

Lifting an eyebrow, Ignis sees that it’s Noctis and sighs softly with a smile, answering it. “Unlike you to disturb me while I’m working,” he purrs, walking over to his bed. “Is something the matter?”

“You’re right,” Noctis confesses in reply, though he seems pleased by Ignis’s tone of voice. “I just…I hate to admit it, but I’m bored and lonely, and Prompto’s on a date with _Gladio_ of all people. And I…I knew you’d probably be in your room this late, so…I just hoped, maybe…”

Ignis lowers himself onto the bed and gets comfortable, pulling at the tie of his robe and letting it fall open. “You needed someone to tell you a bedtime story?” he teases gently.

“It’ll help me unwind,” the prince insists, need lacing his voice and Ignis can’t help a soft chuckle in response.

True, it’s _slightly_ irresponsible of him to indulge Noctis like this, but Ignis doesn’t expect it to impede on his mission. He’s read pretty much everything he already knows about Ravus, and anything additional he needs to know, hasn’t come from Prompto or anyone else, yet. He supposes most of his preparation will come tomorrow once things are settled for the event Ravus will be attending.

“Are you undressed?” Ignis finally asks, free hand idly stroking down his chest as he waits for a response.

“No,” Noctis mutters as the sounds of fumbling follow.

“Easy, darling,” Ignis soothes, “take it slow. Imagine it’s me.”

The sounds cease as Noctis seems to take Ignis’s words into consideration, a breath escaping his lips. “Yeah, okay.”

Smiling, Ignis lets his hand venture further down, slowly. “Mm, you look beautiful,” he purrs again. “I imagine you’re already ready.” He lets out a breath of his own. “Hard, but not weeping. Not yet. We’ll get you there.”

A shiver comes over the phone and Ignis’s lips curl into another smile. “Soft kisses on your neck to start with, slow and wet. No marks, we don’t need rumors, but leaving you wanting them…mm.” His hand drifts lower and the only sound coming from Noctis is his breaths, growing a little heavier, and quicker. “Trailing kisses down your chest, teasing a nipple until it’s hard in my mouth and listening to those sounds you’d make.”

As if on cue, a breathy whimper escapes the prince’s lips and Ignis knows Noctis is replicating as much of this as he can. He can just imagine the younger man splayed out on his bed, teasing a nipple relentlessly with his own hand and it goes straight to his cock.

“Then kissing down your stomach, a soft blow to your belly button, that always makes you shiver.” He smiles again. “Before I reach the real prize.” His hand drifts lower, avoiding his own hardening length as he continues talking, trying to make this last for as long as he can. “I press a kiss to the tip, tease it with my tongue, and then take you fully into my mouth.”

Noctis lets out a soft moan in response. “Please…”

“Faster, darling,” Ignis breathes in reply, fingers digging into his thigh as he refuses to touch himself, not yet. “I want to hear you as you fuck my mouth.”

A strained cry of need comes over the phone from the prince and Ignis laments not being there in person. How he’d love more than anything, to flip Noctis on the bed and plow into him, give the prince what he’s so desperately craving right now.

“Use your other hand now, darling,” Ignis encourages. “I’m ready to get inside of you.”

There’s another round of fumbling as Noctis moves his phone around before it finally ceases and he breathes, “got my earbuds,” and Ignis has to laugh.

“Next time you’ll remember,” he answers. “Now, come on, Noct, I’m aching to get inside of you.”

He hears the faint sound of a lube cap closing and a few seconds later, Noctis lets out a gasp before he whimpers softly. “Hurry, Iggy,” he breathes. “You don’t need to prep.”

“Mm, tell me what you need.”

There’s a slight pause of hesitation, Noctis isn’t the best at dirty talk, but he’s getting there. “…Fuck me.”

“There it is…” Ignis almost growls as his hand nears his length. “I would love, more than anything, to flip you over and have my way, darling.”

“…I’m ready,” Noctis says and it takes a moment for Ignis to realize the prince is in that exact position.

“Oh, you naughty boy,” he purrs, wrapping a hand around his tip and licking his lips, mimicking the feeling of pushing inside Noctis as best he can with an audible groan for the prince’s benefit. “Fuck, Noct… You feel as good as ever.”

“Iggy…” Noctis whines. “Harder…”

“Mm, I can’t hear you…” Ignis breathes, fisting himself as he thrusts into his hand, cock weeping as he closes his eyes and imagines the prince atop him. “You know I love to hear you.”

“Harder!” Noctis cries out, pushing his fingers in deeper, eyes clenched shut as he pictures Ignis fucking him. It’s hard to make his fingers do what Ignis’s cock so effortlessly does on its own, but he’s trying, and it’s better than nothing.

“Are we making your bed shake?” Ignis asks as he rolls his hips and strokes himself faster, squeezing. “Mm, so _tight_.”

“Nn,” the prince struggles. “T-they’re gonna think I’m in trouble if…if I don’t stay quiet… Hn… Iggy, _please_ …” He whimpers and a muffled cry follows. “Please…I’m so close.”

“Already?” the agent teases, knowing Noctis has always been a bit of a quick shot, but even still, he’d thought perhaps he’d last longer over the phone. “I’ve found that spot, haven’t I? Over…and over, and _over_.”

Noctis curls his fingers as best he can, angling them to do as Ignis is saying, and with one thrust in, he finds it right away. He all but screams into his pillow, dropping his hips to the bed and rutting with need against it as he pushes back into his fingers and then forward.

All Ignis hears are the muffled sounds of Noctis’s grunts and whimpers and heavy breaths growing frantic and needy and it’s everything he needs to pretend the prince is there with him as he thrusts faster into his hand, trying to match what he thinks is Noct’s pace. “Come on, darling,” he encourages, voice low and thick. “I want to hear you as I come inside.”

Whimpering, Noctis clenches the pillow in his other hand as he continues his rhythm, the bed moving with him and bumping into the wall. Fortunately, his strength alone isn’t enough to make a loud enough noise to warrant any concern, but the noise he makes as he comes in his sheets might be. Even all this distance between him and Ignis isn’t too far for the agent to unravel him like this as he cries out Ignis’s name and sags against his mess, panting as he clenches around his fingers and overstimulates himself, unwilling to be done already.

“Mm,” Ignis murmurs in satisfaction at those noises, squeezing tighter around his cock as he imagines Noctis’s release covering his chest. What a shame it isn’t happening, but he forces those thoughts away, and imagines the sight of Noctis taking his cock, bouncing atop him, coming, body flushed and covered in a soft sheen of sweat. It’s a beautiful sight, and in between his imagination and the prince’s noises, Ignis’s hips stutter and jerk into his hand until the release covering his chest is his own, not Noct’s. He sighs out his pleasure and presses back into his bed, lamenting that he’ll need another bath after this, but as he comes down from his high and focuses back on Noctis, he smiles.

“Feeling better?”

“A little,” Noctis mutters softly, clearly tired.

“Cheer up, love,” Ignis says in reply. “I know you don’t along with Gladio, but I assure you, he’s not the ass you think he is. And if he’s to be involved with Prompto, perhaps it’s time you try and make peace. He’s a rather excellent lover, you know.”

Noctis is quiet for a moment. “Prompto said he has a huge cock.”

Ignis laughs harder than he means to, rubbing his forehead and nodding. “He does,” he confirms with a nod. “Who knows, perhaps you’ll like that too.” He sighs and sits up. “Think about it, darling. Maybe the four of us can come to an arrangement if you can work things out with him."

"...You know I didn't really call because of that, right?"

Smiling a little sadly, Ignis nods. "I know," he whispers. "I'm sorry that I cannot be there to protect you."

"...I hate that I'm afraid."

"It's a normal reaction, darling," the agent tries to reassure. "I'm sure your father will relax his grip soon. I know Prompto misses you, too."

Noctis is quiet for a moment before he nods. "...Yeah, I know," he says. "Love you, Iggy. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Noct."

* * *

Gladio doesn’t turn out to be so bad. For a tall, horny, sex machine, he’s actually more eloquent than Prompto expects him to be. He has manners for starters, opens the door for Prompto, pulls out his chair for him, which is…Prompto’s having trouble processing this.

“Look, you don’t date someone like Iggy and _not_ pick up those things, okay?” Gladio huffs defensively and Prompto has to smile.

They place their orders and an awkward silence follows as Prompto strokes his glass of water idly and Gladio fumbles with the too-small napkin in his too-big lap. Finally, Prompto looks up and bites his lip, shifting in his seat.

“So,” he says. “Tell me about yourself.”

Gladio glances up at the question and finds he doesn’t know what to say. “I thought you knew it all already,” he answers lamely.

Prompto quirks an eyebrow as he leans forward. “I know the stuff I _need_ to know,” he corrects, “that doesn’t mean I know _you_.” He sits back up. “So what do you like to do when you’re not kicking asses and taking names? Or fucking Ignis?”

Looking up again, Gladio smiles a little this time as he clears his throat to stifle a laugh. “I read.”

“You do not!” Prompto protests, but he’s happily surprised instead of skeptic. He leans forward again, lacing his fingers together. “Spy novels?”

Gladio actually blushes and rubs the back of his neck. “…Romance.”

Gasping, Prompto covers his mouth and sits up straight. “ _Really_?” he squeaks. “You’re not just pulling my chain, right?”

“Ask Ignis,” the big agent insists. “He’ll corroborate me.”

Prompto smiles in reply and shakes his head. “I believe you,” he replies, “though if you prove me wrong for doing so, I will end you.”

“Fair enough,” Gladio laughs, raising his hands passively. “But what about you? You’re the one who’s all mysterious and shit. What can you tell me about you?”

To Gladio’s surprise, Prompto actually seems to fold up in response to the question, like he _doesn’t_ want to talk about himself. “What’s to tell? I’m too smart for my own good, played with gadgets my whole life, and now I work for the government in the most—”

Gladio makes a buzzing noise and lifts his hand to thumbs down. “Wrong answer,” he says with a smile. “Try again.”

They’re interrupted by the food arriving, but Prompto looks back up from his plate to Gladio with a soft smile. “I like to take pictures,” he admits, “it’s part of why I’m into gadgets so much, I used to fix cameras when I was a kid.” He shrugs and picks up his fork. “I spent a little too much time alone, so gadgets and video games were my friends.”

“What do you like to take pictures of?”

Prompto pauses for a moment, mid-bite, and sets down his fork as he pulls out his phone and pulls up some of his photography. He hands the phone to Gladio, who takes it and scrolls throw with a lifted brow.

“Wow,” he comments. “These are actually pretty good. Maybe you entered the wrong field of work.”

Laughing in reply, Prompto sips his drink and shakes his head, but he nods. “Thank you,” he says before Gladio’s face darkens and he frowns. “What?”

Gladio turns the phone to face Prompto and the quartermaster sees messages popping up on his phone one after the other. He reaches to take it from the agent and sees one from Ignis, asking about the result of the Magitek clones’ examination, another from his assistant advising the search for Ardyn pulled up results that need viewing _immediately_ , followed by two more insistent messages from the same assistant.

“Guess we have to get this to-go, huh?”

Prompto looks up from his phone with a frown and nods. “I’m so sorry.”

“Comes with the territory,” Gladio dismisses with a reassuring smile as he flags down their waiter. “I’ll walk you back to the Citadel.”

Before Prompto can protest, the waiter returns with boxes for their food, Gladio’s handing her money, and they’re out the door heading back to the tall building in the near distance. Prompto can’t help feeling guilty for the date ending so abruptly, knowing it really isn’t his _fault_ , but he’s the one who’d asked for a date and _he’s_ the one bailing.

Yet, Gladio’s arm slips protectively around them as they walk across the street and he finds himself looking up at the agent in surprise. He smiles a little as they stop at another crosswalk, waiting for the signal, when Gladio leans down and kisses him.

Caught off guard, Prompto stiffens at first but melts into the kiss quickly, even with the signal now blinking for them to cross. He lifts himself onto his toes to press deeper into the kiss, curious to see how good Gladio is at it when it deepens. It’s a lot to take in at first, Gladio’s possessive and sure of what he wants, and Prompto’s swept up in the intensity of it – Gladio’s got a big tongue – but Prompto relaxes and learns and happily meets the rhythm of it with enthusiasm.

By the time they pull apart and realize they’ve missed their window to cross, Gladio snickers and straightens so they can pay attention this time. Prompto’s out of breath and feels like he just got mouth-fucked in the best way. “Wow…”

“Yeah, that’s what they all say.”

Prompto shoots him a look. “Dude, that’s not what you say on the first date.”

Gladio actually blushes and clears his throat. “Uh, I mean, haven’t heard that one before.”

Laughing this time, Prompto gestures to the sign blinking for them to cross and they continue on their way back to the Citadel. He still isn’t sure about the agent yet as they arrive at their destination and Prompto turns to part ways with Gladio.

“…Tell me your favorite book,” he says. “What’s it called? Why do you like it?”

Surprised by the question, Gladio hesitates at first, his mind going blank despite everything he knows he has to offer. Prompto’s hopeful expression slowly fades into disappointment and he nods as he turns to head up the steps.

“ _How do I love thee_?” the big guy exclaims suddenly, causing Prompto to pause on the steps and turn in surprise. “ _Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight, for the ends of being and ideal grace._ ” He walks up the steps towards the quartermaster as he quotes. “ _I love thee to the level of every day’s most quiet need, by sun and candle-light._ ” He slips an arm around that slim waist and tugs Prompto close, staring down into those wide, violet eyes. “ _I love thee freely, as_ —”

He’s cut off by a finger on his lips that Prompto quickly replaces with his lips, the kiss briefly deepening before the blond pulls back. “Come on…” he breathes, taking Gladio’s free hand and tugging him up the steps and inside the Citadel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to balance smut and plot here, I hope I'm doing a good job hahaha. AO3 still seems to be iffy with notifications and e-mails, so I really encourage you to follow me on twitter or tumblr so you don't miss an update. that being said, sorry my updates have been on the slow side, haven't been feeling too inspired to write and my last few chapters of ALL my WIPs haven't been doing too well. I really hope you feel like commenting and leaving kudos, it helps me feel so much better about these stories and that people are interested in them still <3

**Author's Note:**

> (The prologue is a little shorter than I plan the rest of the chapters to be, so don't worry! Also, pairings and tags may change!)
> 
> I know a secret agent Ignis AU was in high demand, or at least, I THOUGHT there was because I wanted one and saw a few people who wanted one and I'm sure there are some out there, but here you go! I hope you enjoyed, so *please* let me know what you think with your kudos and comments. They're super important to me so please, please, please give me some feedback and share this lovely gem with your friends!
> 
> \--
> 
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